At this point, I've listened to a lot of metal, so I'm thrilled when something passes through that sounds like nothing I've heard before.
Anareta combines two kinds of albums that I've heard a lot of, but the synthesis feels brilliant and like nothing I've heard before. On the one hand: moody post-metal post-classical string quartets. On the other: screechy one-man-band black metal. The first group of albums is often pretty but can be boring. The second group feels highly personal, but can be monotonous. It turns out that if you add the structure of classical music to the screeching, you get a balance of complexity and emotion.
Of course, the execution also has to be on-point, and Anareta does a terrific job. All the tracks are solid. I'm not sure that there are many standouts or ones that get stuck in your head, but like much black metal, Fear Not is more atmosphere than catchiness.
I appreciated the production. It sounds like folk music: not overprocessed. The contrast between the vocals and the quartet is presented as though it just makes sense. Somehow they convinced me that it does.
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