A bit of a short one for you this time. Arroganz, the German trio, released their “Primitiv” album back in 2017, which I awarded then an 8/10, saying at the time, “…this has the superficial sound of a band that’s going for the bludgeoning approach, there’s a whole hidden layer of influences here dying to be heard and explored among the bombast and violence.” This time, the boys are back with this three track E.P. Does it live up to the lofty highs of their last full length album?

Well, it’s hard to say that there’s been a huge shift in their ferocious take on savage thrash-inflected death metal in the short time between releases, but I think it’s entirely fair to say that they’ve managed to continue the good quality quotient. “Erzketer” starts the proceedings, with a great catchy drum beat intro, a rumbling bass line that follows shortly after, before the tempest really begins to roar. At just over three minutes in length, it takes almost two minutes before the tempo really begins to shift, and the sheer nastiness of the attack takes hold. “By Glowing Chains” follows, the echoey, cavernous production really emphasising just how inhuman the music sounds. This is a band that really wants to emphasise the less salubrious elements in life.

“As Furious Wings Cast Long Shadows” is a ten minute plus closer; a progressive sounding romp into some kind of dissonant hell. At times, though the production really does go for a primitive, stygian almost black-metal sound, I was struck by how the guitars in particular had a …well…skronking kind of atonal resonance that’s almost classic Voivod in sound. Certainly in the context of a band who had a last album which was “Primitiv”, I have to say that the closer really has really confirmed to me that Arroganz are more than a proto-extreme metal band. They have depths: and how low they plunge. Again, “Erzketer” is a great release, and although the title track could have easily have come from the last album, it’s the mammoth closing track that will justify your purchase.

(8/10 Chris Davison)

https://www.facebook.com/arroganzgermany

https://fda-records.bandcamp.com/album/erzketzer