When Fire Rains Down from the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown cover

When Fire Rains Down from the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown

Anaal Nathrakh · 2003

40 min · 9 tracks · black metal

A relentless barrage of ferocious riffs and guttural screams intertwined with haunting melodies that challenge the boundaries of black metal.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Cataclysmic Nihilism — This opening track sets the tone for the entire album with its explosive energy and unrelenting pace, embodying the band's signature fusion of chaos and melody.
  • →
    Genesis of the Antichrist — With its intricate guitar work and dynamic shifts, this track encapsulates the album's thematic exploration of dark existential concepts through aggressive yet melodic instrumentation.
  • →
    When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown — The title track serves as a powerful centerpiece, combining harrowing lyrics with an intense musical landscape that reflects both despair and catharsis in equal measure.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

57 /100
Foothills
Higher than 48% of albums we've rated

The EP showcases intense compositions but is disrupted by live tracks, affecting its overall cohesion.

What we noticed

  • The first three tracks maintain a relentless tempo with aggressive guitar riffs and harsh vocals, creating an unyielding intensity.
  • The title track features a significant shift in dynamics, introducing haunting melodies that contrast with the preceding aggression.
  • Three of the nine tracks are live recordings, which disrupt the flow of the studio material and alter the overall cohesion.
Composition 25% of the score
7/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
8/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
6/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
7/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
4/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 3/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

  • 1 Cataclysmic Nihilism 4:47
  • 2 How the Angels Fly In (We Can Never Be Forgiven) 2:49
  • 3 Never Fucking Again 4:12
  • 4 Genesis of the Antichrist 4:28
  • 5 Atavism 6:07
  • 6 When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as It Has Sown 4:24
  • 7 Human, All Too Fucking Human (live) 6:13
  • 8 Swallow the World (live) 3:01
  • 9 Do Not Speak (live) 4:39

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata