A.H.P. - Against Human Plague

A.H.P. – Against Human Plague (2016, Via Nocturna)

Coming out of Norway and presented as : « “Against Human Plague” is the debut album of the A.H.P. horde. A mixture of depressive suicidal black metal and dark ambient in truly venomous proportions. The almost 40 minutes album is full of self sacrifice, pain, suffering and bleakness. It’s a record that will make you beg to die… » are a mysterious horde of players that indeed makes suicidal black metal without the melancholic angle of Lifelover or Forgotten Tomb.

Released on Via Nocturna, a Polish label, the album is dark, cruel, repelling, and bleak. Its aggression never stops and even the atmospheric ‘’Crawling Shadows’’ is a torturing piece of nihilistic grandeur. With two covers, one of War‘’Satan’s Millenium’’ in memory of Blackmoon and the other of Beherit ‘’Emotional Ectasy’’ represent some of A.H.P.’s influences. The band is in fact a one man act of Gulnar and two session musicians on bass and some guitars Aro and on the drums is Nerexo.

This is an interesting album that promises probably greater things to come from A.H.P. Even if the first and second wave of black metal taints most of the music in Against Human Plague, the finishing touch and the organic approach of the music makes it a strong first effort from A.H.P. As with Beherit’s music, I will be curious to see which path Gulnar will take with his ‘’horde’’ and how he will follow up this disjointed yet inspired record.

6.7