Alright, let’s dive into Reign of Agony by Abject 666. This French black metal beast dropped in 2012 under Infernal Kommando Records, and if you’re into raw, unfiltered chaos, this one might just slap you upside the head. It’s got that classic black metal vibe—cold, grimy, and pissed off—but with its own twist that makes it stick out like a sore thumb at a picnic.
First up, “Dance With The Devil.” Man, this track hits hard right from the get-go. You’ve got these razor-sharp riffs slicing through the mix like a hot knife through butter, and the drums? Relentless. Like, I’m talking full-on war machine relentless. The vocals sound like someone gargled glass shards dipped in acid—it’s brutal but oddly satisfying. What sticks with me is how chaotic it feels without losing structure. There’s a groove buried under all the noise, and once you catch it, it’s kinda infectious. Not something you’d bust out at a family BBQ, though—unless your family is super metal, which, hey, no judgment here.
Then there’s “Sodomized Nazarene,” which is as gnarly as the title suggests. This one’s slower, darker, almost crawling along like some kind of nightmarish creature stalking you in the shadows. The atmosphere they build here is straight-up oppressive, like wearing a leather jacket indoors on a summer day. But weirdly enough, it works. It’s one of those tracks where halfway through, you realize you’ve been nodding your head even though it feels wrong to enjoy something so evil-sounding. That contrast keeps pulling me back for more.
The rest of the album ain’t slouching either. Tracks like “Intro” set the stage perfectly with eerie ambiance, while “People Are Stupid” delivers exactly what you’d expect—a pissed-off rant wrapped in blast beats and shrieks. And then there’s the title track, “Reign Of Agony,” which ties everything together with an unholy fury that lingers long after the last note fades.
Here’s the thing about Reign of Agony: it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it sure as hell knows how to make it roll over your face. It’s not gonna win any Grammys (not that black metal ever does), but damn if it doesn’t feel authentic. Listening to this record feels like stepping into a freezing cave filled with bats and bad vibes—and honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what you need.
Final thought? If Satan himself needed a workout playlist, this would probably be on it. Just saying.
