I’ve been hoping that Anubis Gate would get a new label for years. No offense to Nightmare Records, but they really dropped the ball on the last few releases, and Anubis Gate deserves better than that. The band is signed with No Dust Records now, and they just released their 9th studio album, called Interference, on June 2nd.
Denmark’s Anubis Gate have been around far longer than most people probably realize. Next year will actually be 20 years, I believe. I only first noticed them in 2009 with The Detached, liked them in 2011 with their self-titled album, and really fell for them in 2014 with the still amazing Horizons. In 2017, Covered in Black took their sound to new heights, and I even liked their covers album in 2020, Covered in Colours. The line up for the new album includes Henrik Fevre on bass and vocals, Kim Olesen on guitars and keys, Michael Bodin on guitars, and Morten Gade Sørensen on drums.
I really like the band’s combination of progressive metal with modern, fresh melodies. I’m not saying that they reinvent the wheel or anything, but there is something so bright and clean about their sound. And because of that crisp style, any texture or grit they throw into the mix is really effective. This album continues the amazing vocals of Henrik, where much of the modern sound originates, and I think this album could also have some of the best riffs they’ve ever written; I also really like the dark guitar tone they chose, and the intense rhythm section, too.
I’ll be honest about Interference, though. Mentally, I divide its 10 tracks into three parts. The first part, tracks 1-3, is fairly by-the-numbers Anubis Gate, and I was feeling a little let down. “Emergence” is a perfectly fine opener with some great riffs, “Ignorance is Bliss” is nice and heavy, and “Number Stations” is the best of the three with its spacey instrumentals and interesting ambience. These songs are a good start, but I can’t say much more than that.
The next part includes tracks 4-7. This is, in my opinion, the section where the band shines. You will be hard pressed to find four consecutive songs this good in other 2023 albums, which is really saying something because this year has been amazing musically so far. “The Phoenix” begins this section with golden melodies, hopeful lyrics, and a layer of nostalgia that instantly grabbed me. It continues with “Equations”, one of the best songs on the album; this track feels robust and electronic, and I absolutely love Henrik’s gruff yell in the chorus. I think that might actually be my favorite part of the album. “Dissonance Consonance” comes next with its eerie keys; the song transitions in some interesting ways a few times, but overall feels spacey and hovering. It leads perfectly into “The Intergalactic Dream of Stardom”, a song with some seriously fantastic riffs and solos, not to mention its rich chorus and loud-soft dynamic.
The last portion is tracks 8-10, and it is almost as good as the middle section. I love “World of Clay” for its breezy, kinetic chorus and chugging, driving sound. The title track actually has some calming vibes with the opening voiceover, and the entire song is all about contrasts and great riffs. The closer, “Absence”, is probably my second favorite overall with its cautious tempo, ponderous tone, and ethereal guitars. I really like this slowdown for the ending, and it seems appropriate.
I still like Anubis Gate’s sound because it still feels so fresh. Interference is a little unbalanced, though I suspect the first three tracks will grow on me, but the album still delivers in spades. I hope the band finds more success on this new label; they certainly deserve it.
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The PROG Mind 