Album Review - Sex Sex Sex (Abhor)

The Great Metal Debate Podcast

Welcome to another episode of The Great Metal Debate podcast. Today we are talking about one of my favorite symphonic black metal bands - Abhor - with their newest album Sex Sex Sex (Ceremonia Daemonis Anticristi), released on September 23rd through Iron Bonehead Productions. This group has been around since 1995 but did not released their first album until 1998. Since then, Abhor has built a rather impressive discography with a total of seven full-length studio records under their bullet belts. Which brings us to their new unholy 8th album. Starting things off we have "The Curse of the Twins". Right away I have to say that Leonardo is possibly the best organ player I have ever heard in any symphonic black metal band. There is so much talent within his fingers that produce so much beautiful music from the keyed instrument! This one is just a short intro track but it is beautiful and sounds like it is being played inside an actual Cathedral. And then we have the album title track "Ceremonia Daemonis Anticristi". Just the first few seconds of the song has a riff that sounds only just slightly similar to an 80s heavy metal song along with that signature opera-esq falsetto. The tempo quickly changes into a more aggressive and harsh black metal sound complimented by those ghoulish raspy vocals. I also couldn't help but notice that the symphony sounded a lot like early Cradle of Filth. It has sort of that blackened death doom sound that is very reminiscent of bands like Archgoat. Just after the 4:10 mark, you can hear chants from a hell priest and the other followers shouting "Hail Satan" throughout the remaining two minutes of the track. Moving on we go to "At The Edge Of The Circle". The opening notes have that slow doomy kind of riff which is immediately followed by more calming classical music style organ playing alongside those cavernous screeches echoing from the mouth of hell. The winding guitar riff towards the middle of the song stands out and further compliments the organ. Next we have a song called "Ode To The Snake". It is truly ominous and the voices you hear at the start are very difficult to make out which makes it that much more creepy. This next track might be a little on the nose as far as lyrical themes go but now we have "Ritual Satanism". It is yet another stellar track that is sure to penetrate your black soul upon listening to this. "Evil Mentor" is yet another stand out track on the album. The beginning of the song has an audio recording of a high priest in the LeVayan Satanic Church conjuring fourth the Leviathan from the depths of the abyss. What follows is a cavernous scream from Ulfhedhnir that will reverberate in your ears the second you hear them. The bass guitar really stands out in this intro. Kvasir does a great job of keeping pace with the slower drum beats and it goes along with the organ like peanut butter and jelly. There is even a short lived operatic part towards the middle of the song and a small single note guitar solo performed by Domine Saevum Graven. Those of you Mystifier fans out there will be pleased to learn that Abhor has done an absolutely wonderful job of covering their beloved song "Beezelbuth" with the new age of studio recording equipment and sound mastering by Lucas Demon. The title of this song is "October 31st 2010". A real life natural disaster is enough to help set and even more tragic and bleak tone to this already grim album. The bass lines help to give you that somber feeling. The vocals toward the end of this track give off major Dagon from Inquisition vibes that will give you chills running down your spine! "The Call" is a nice continuation to this album. It is yet another flawless song on a flawless album from a flawless band. And then we wrap things up with the final track "Violent Coven" which is just another short symphony that serves as the outro. I have nothing negative to say about this album - this gets a 10 out of 10!