Wednesday 15 October 2014

Sangira - Agnosis (Album Review)

Sangria - Agnosis

Album Type: Album
Date Released: September 14th 2014
Label: Proyecto Sepulcro

Agnosis - track listing:

1.Ritualista
2. Cegados
3. Agnosis
4. Catarsis
5. Pestilencia
6. Averno
7. Culto al Odio
8. Seminal Inhumación
9. Trance Mortuorio

Members

Osvaldo Frias - Bass, Vocals
Pablo Benavides - Drums
Carlos Frias - Guitar, Vocals

Review:

Sangria were originally featured on the blog back in 2011 when I reviewed their outstanding debut album from 2009. Now 5 years later Sangria are back with their 2nd album - Agnosis. I have to thank Steve Woodier for arranging to have this album sent to me for review purposes. Steve Woodier knows his stuff when it comes to bleak and heavy Doom/Sludge Metal. Sangria are one of his fave current bands within the Doom/Sludge Metal scene. I am happy to report that Agnosis is a heavy pounding exercise in sheer brutality. Sangria do not hold back in unleashing a ton of hard-hitting riffs to pound your entire body into submission.

The vocals are just as powerful and deadly as the music itself as they stay dangerous and earth-shatteringly loud through out. Opening track - Ritualista - sets up the scene for what is to come for the next 40 mins so. Menacing Sludge/Doom Metal with a groovy sideline of slow paced riffs that shows Sangria are a band not be messed with. The album does not change styles for the rest of the album as Sangria slowly make you go insane with the high amount of brutal riffs they have in store for you. The mood is one of bleak anger and pitch black fury where there is no turning back. Agnosis captures the raw intensity of a classic Death/Black Metal album and gives it a Sludge/Doom Metal makeover. Tracks such as Agnosis, Catarsis and Averno maybe too heavy for some people to listen to and that is a good thing as Sangria play by their own rules. They bow down to no-one. Agnosis maybe one of the heaviest and nastiest Sludge Metal albums the South American Metal scene has ever produced as Sangria live upto their reputation as one of the loudest bands ever to come from Chile.

Agnosis is a very hard album to review as the mood can only be described as one-way brutality for much of the running time. Though if you're a fan of down-tempo Doom/Sludge Metal you're going to be in your element here. Agnosis is a great album and the technical ability of the band is there for everyone to hear and feel. These guys can play some punishing riffs that will make you feel uncomfortable and nervous just from listening to it. The album truly comes alive when Sangria start adding different noises to the mix as it leaves your heart pounding that little bit faster. The production on the album is excellent through out as even though the album is bleak through out, you can feel the intensity of the music with each passing second. My advice. Hunt this album down, get yourself a copy and embrace the darkness, as Sangria are the of new Dark Overlords South American Doom/Sludge Metal scene. Agnosis is a must-have album if you like all things dark and pitch black.

Thanks to Steve Woodier and Sangria for sending a promo for me to review. 

Words by Steve Howe

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