It’s pronounced “Anzû” if that helps, and it’s the name of a massive fire-breathing bird taken from several Mesopotamian religions. A name well chosen, then, as the bombastic, Middle Eastern-tinged death/black metal of ANZV actually doesn’t sound too far away from what you’d imagine of a band with a moniker like that. After their first full-length Gallas, released on a small local label in their native Portugal late last year, went a bit under the radar, Alone Records recognized the potential, signed the band, and is now making the album available again to the international audience it commands, with one extra track to sweeten the deal even further.
To celebrate this fortunate second coming of their promising debut, scheduled for March 10, ANZV are emerging from their mysterious depths with a new video for opening track “Isimud,” a dense and murky beast that offers some seriously neck-breaking dynamics. It starts off with some foreboding chanting, steps up the intensity with a ferocious surge of Behemoth-like angular, blackened blasting, goes all stompy mid-tempo for a while as vocalist Ahnum proclaims “I am the messenger!” and after a quick plunge back into the blast vortex, the final minute finishes things off creepily and slowly as if that fire-breathing winged monstrosity itself is staring at you while slowly walking away.
“We would like to extend everyone an invitation to embark on this bleak and somber journey down to the Sumerian underworld of Kur, to sample the havoc essence of our debut album Gallas,” says the band in the accompanying statement. “’Isimud’ dwells between ominous seediness and surreal violence, wrapped in a groove drawn from the guts of Ereshkigal herself. Enjoy, if that’s even possible!”
Follow ANZV for news and updates here.
Pre-order Gallas from Alone Records here.
