Band: Aosoth
Title: Ashes Of Angels
Label: Agonia Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 01/01/2010
Review: CD

I won’t ever deny it: France is one of my favourite countries when it comes to grim underground Black Metal. That has always been the case, it still is and probably it will stay.
Reasons are legio, and I’m not about to make a summary of all French bands I do like. However, Aosoth is one of these projects, consisting of members who are / were also involved with, for example, Antaeus, Balrog, Temple Of Baal, Deviant, Eternal Majesty and Garwall, to name but a few. The project started in 2002 and in mean time this project did release two splits with befriended bands Antaeus (2002) and Temple Of Baal (2007), followed by a first self-called full length studio album (2008).
This second full length lasts for forty five minutes and goes completely on in the vein of the debut. This means that Aosoth’s Black Metal is of the rawest kind, supported by a rough, unpolished sound. The wall of guitars is oppressing and ominous, the rhythm section overpowering and pounding, and the vocals abysmal and malignant, giving the whole a somewhat industrialised baphometian atmosphere. Indeed, it also means that there is a subtle yet vicious link with the dirtiest scenes in Sweden (think about the whole Necromorbus-horde), Belgium, Czech Republic and the U.S.Aaargh…
The album ends, by the way, with the splendid (!) Antaeus-cover Inner War.
Pitch Black Terror with an erected middle finger, blasphemous terror, misanthropic feelings of hate and disgust, performed with excellence pur sang (some French won’t hurt anyone, will it?), a monumental sonic orgy of angel-molesting and heaven-burning, I’m having a psychic orgasm! Hellish supremacy!!!
Oh yes, for those interested: ‘Aosoth’ is a dark female force in the pantheon of the Order of the Nine Angels…

89/100

Ivan Tibos.