Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Arc (2016)

July 5, 2016
Agoraphobic Nosebleed – Arc (2016)

(Words by Gumpy, Doomfinder General)

Agoraphobic Nosebleed return faster than ever, this time managing to squeeze 27 songs into only 3 minutes…. Wait a second, there’s only 3 songs and one of them is 12 minutes long? It’s a sludge album? What the hell is going on?

Shit talking aside there is a very good reason for this drastic change in direction; instead of just making another album, Agoraphobic Nosebleed decided to make 4 because… why not? Each one is being written by a different member of the band, and the first of these – Arc – is Katherine Katz’s one. However how does it hold up? Agoraphobic Nosebleed may have dabbled with slow in the past but they are predominantly a fast-as-absolute-fuck band.

It’s amazing, of course it’s amazing. Agoraphobic Nosebleed could make a power metal album and it would still kick the shit out of every other power metal album (that’s not a challenge by the way). Kat’s vocals, which if I’m being honest I thought were a bit off on Agorapocalypse, are perfect here. The slower pace gives them a bit more room to breathe and they sound better for it. There are massive riffs flying about everywhere, and the programmed drums sound meaty and must have some sludge drummers worried about their jobs. It might not be Agoraphobic Nosebleed as we know it, but when the music is this good who cares? (I still want more weird ultra fast grind, though.)

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