Ana Kefr-The Burial Tree (II)

Muse Sick Records 2011



One of the worst things about reviewing music is that if you proclaim every album that comes across your desk as good people will start to doubt your listening ability. The fact is most promos I get these days are usually good. It's hard to find record labels that would invest good money in bands with little to no talent. Unless you've sold your soul to the devil to mass produce corporate garbage like Creed and Staind you look for quality bands to work with and develop. Every now and then a band comes along though who are so far ahead of the curb that when I listen to their music it destroys my meager understanding of what "good" music is. Ana Kefr is one of those bands. The Burial Tree (ll) is a complex mix of death metal, prog. rock and classic rock. At times it frightens with it's brutality before it swallows you whole with its beauty. Unafraid to take the road less traveled these California natives paint with all the colors at their disposal. They spill their own blood to craft a masterpiece of extreme metal. Never content to leave well enough alone the band easily shifts from insane death bursts to AOR guitar solos without taking a breath. Socially conscious the band screams for human rights while rallying against mankind's dependence on religion. Philosophy in metal isn't a new beast. Ana Kefr though (who's name means "I am infidel" in Arabic) are what I'd imagine a progressive death metal band fronted by Sigmund Freud (on acid) would end up like. Lyrical this is as rich and deeply fascinating as the music is. Featuring instruments not normal found in your standard death metal group (clarinet and saxophone) Ana Kefr have created a new standard in the field of experimental music. This is the soundtrack for the end times and the music has never sounded sweeter.