The Atavism of Evil

Bathory are one of the most cherished bands in the black metal circle. The primitive, evil riffs of “Under the Sign of the Black Mark” still elicit the darkest of emotions, especially when driving on a cold, winter night. It is of no surprise; therefore, that many bands chose to model their entire style after the innovative Swede. Megiddo have a healthy dose of Bathory in their sound, but also tap into a number of other influences to create a more unique experience (comparatively). Unfortunately, Megiddo also latches on to the worst aspects of the genre.

One cannot help but appreciate the enthusiasm of Chorazaim. The man has a simple message, one of angst and disgust towards Christianity. Regardless of whether or not someone agrees with the message, this album exudes passion. In a subtle way, I also believe The Atavism of Evil is a statement against the “mainstream” artists of the genre. Megiddo cuts the music down to the rawest form. Nowhere will you find the epic arrangements of Dimmu Borgir, or gothic tinged fruitiness of Cradle of Filth. The refreshing, anti-popular charm is the album’s strong point concept wise, but the implementation of the band’s vision is what lacks.

The guitar sound is utter crap. Melodically speaking, Megiddo is solid, but the incessant “fuzz” found throughout the album neuters the band’s accolades. The riffs have no “punch” because of the horrid distortion used on the guitar tracks. It might be argued that Megiddo were attempting to capture the essence of Bathory’s or Hellhammer’s guitar sound, but both bands sounded much heavier, almost 20 years prior. There is no excuse for such an awful production/sound in 2002, especially because a decent computer program can be had for a modest price. Perhaps Megiddo were attempting to sound primitive on purpose; but if an artist is going to pick an aspect to emulate about Bathory or Hellmamer, the production should not be one of them. When Quorthon made his evil mark on metal history, the primitive sound was both appropriate and excusable. Fast forward 20 years: the purposely-archaic produced music has been done to death.

Chorzaim appears to have drawn heavily on Bathory for his vocal influence. Save for lack of originality, no fault can be found in this approach. The screeching, demonic rasps fit the music perfectly. The vocals conjure a grim visage of flesh ripping hellhounds, devouring virgin purity. The drumming is basic and restrained-another take on the Bathory sound. Guitar tracks are handled well for what they are worth. Musicianship is not in doubt on The Atavism of Evil, but it surely does not break any new ground or impress.

When it comes to the songs, taste will play a huge role in determining enjoyment. Fans of unvaried structure and slow tempo will find this release satisfying. Overly simplistic songs will deter those who favor a higher level of technicality. “Pentagram” and the title track lumber along at a slow, boring pace; failing to offer anything exciting, and leaving the listener craving more. Again, it seems Megiddo is tapping into the wrong aspects of the great black metal forefathers. Bathory and Hellhammer both played simplistic songs with a heightened proficiency that Megiddo lack. Chorazaim writes pretty decent lyrics in general, but “The Christwhore” is an amateurish display of childish vulgarity and trendy “shock value.” Not surprisingly, “Dance of the Dead” is the best song on the album, and happens to be a cover tune.

The Atavism of Evil would have sounded much fresher and inspired in 1985; even then, it would still pale in comparison to Bathory. If primitive, elementary black metal is your cup of tea, this album will probably be a wet dream. Fans of originality might find a few Easter eggs within; however, the general feel will leave them wanting.

“The Atavism of Evil” is all about the final war between good and evil, but Megiddo need help if they hope to defeat the forces of Christianity. Returning to black metal’s roots, they call upon Bathory’s peak, when chaotic, thrashy metal met epic Viking-themed war songs. “Atavism” is not at all concerned with Scandinavian berserkers. Instead, the band evacuates regional themes from the equation. This is appropriate because the band is, after all, Canadian, not Norwegian or Swedish. Nevertheless, the overall mode of the album is apocalyptic and also nostalgic. The album has no future and must look back in musical history in order to achieve thematic victory and legitimacy.

“Atavism” starts off unoriginally with the ambient sounds of church bells and rain, but at least the intro is included in the first track and not separated by itself. The production is understated in a good way. At the front of the mix, the guitars have an incredible fuzzy, expansive quality. While “The Christwhore” lumbers along broodingly or “The Summoning” goes into a gallop, this sound gives the music a grandiose feel. It’s crunchy like the sound of hooves stomping into wet earth and fits perfectly with the theme of battle. The vocals are more than adequate in falling in line. Like a harsher take on Quorthon’s approach, they don’t vary often, but they don’t need to. Vile in their own right, the vocals are energetic mid-to-high range rasps that get the job done well. Besides the apparent lack of bass, the drum sound is the weakest part of the production. At times, it sounds like stiff thudding and feels restrictive when the music increases in tempo.

Megiddo are at their best when their songs go the more epic route. Generally, this means a slower pace, akin to the longer songs of Bathory’s “Blood Fire Death.” However, “Atavism” presents a much more concentrated package. Although the songs are typically short and most do not go beyond the five-minute mark, Megiddo compensate with effective simplicity. “The Christwhore,” “Pentagram,” “The Summoning,” and the title track are calculated works that do not ignore the album’s theme. While “The Christwhore” sets up pre-war tension, “Pentagram” takes on a jostling and enthusiastic rhythm that sets the stage for the battle to come. “The Summoning” is most recognizably of the Bathory school, as it proceeds with a shuffling and galloping sort of pace. Taking broodiness to an extreme, the title track is a lumbering beast of a song, a slow victorious survey of the battlefield. Nowhere else is a solo found on the album, and it does not overstay its welcome with flamboyance.

As a whole, “Atavism” is not an incredibly varied album because it has cohesive direction. When the tracks do vary, it is generally with a change to a thrashier pace or with more subtle additions. The faster sections are perhaps the weakest links, though they are necessary to the theme. “A Hymn to the Apocalypse” sounds like a Darkthrone song. With its mono-dimensionality, it doesn’t stand well following “The Summoning” and comes across as uninspired. The faster section is done well in “The Final War” because it is preceded by a two-minute buildup of tension. “Annihilation Antichrist,” perhaps by virtue of being longer, drags in the middle but makes up for it in the end with layered vocals and a return to a sinister, rather than angry, atmosphere.

The more one looks at “Atavism” as a whole, making sure to distance himself from the more inspiring tidbits here and there, the more one feels that there could have been more. Tagged on the end, the Onslaught and Warfare covers are the problem. Both are thrash songs that, while not bad, don’t give finality to the album. The title track would have been an effective closer, but the covers come across as filler. This might seem dismissive, but the covers don’t have thematic relevance and are just tributes. Taking them and the outro away leaves only a little over thirty minutes. This duration is a bit underwhelming, considering the war “Atavism” is attempting to describe.

“Atavism” is essentially a concentrated take on that which is larger than life. While composing the album, Megiddo knew what they hoped to accomplish and knew not to sacrifice grandiosity for formula. It is by no means a wholly original work. It takes the typical stock imagery of black metal and puts it to work concisely. Though a step backward in time, the stripped-down return to roots is a refreshing approach that, because it is executed so well, places Megiddo in competition with some of the greatest of the genre.

Fans of THE DEVIL AND THE WHORE, the ultimate black metal masterpiece and Megiddo's best, will definitely want to pick this album up! It follows the same thrashiness and speed. The vocals are crisp and clear and yet bone-chilling as they were on TDATW, and the production is a somewhat cleaner/less buzzy version of TDATW.

The only problem (which is not really a problem at all when you think of it)... is that the album is just not as good as TDATW. It is still a VERY solid album... just not as good as their last full release! But then again, when you have an album like TDATW, it is hard to top!

My two favorite songs are "Annihilation Antichrist" and "Atavism of Evil". AA contains a couple awesome time changes, starting at mid-paced, then to fast for some ultra good headbanging without being fast-for-the-sake-of-being-fast, and then the song slows right down again to a very slow pace but still very cool! The guitar riffs in this song are very groovy! AoE is a very nice mellow track with a sweet ass solo. This song is in the same vein as "The Oath" from TDATW. What's great about this song is that it contains the only guitar solo which is a real treat. It is not the most technical of guitar solos, but then again some of the best solos are the ones that can be subtle yet still full of emotion. This one is exactly that.

All in all, great album! The Devil and the Whore is better, but this one is still really good! Definitely a great album to get!