Devil's Review: Ana Kefr - The Burial Tree

Ana Kefr is not a name you would consider to be of a metal band. And especially not a metal band that mixes prog with death,black,and core influences among other styles. I got an e-mail asking if I wanted to review the latest album from the Riverside,Ca. based band and after reading some press and doing a bit of research I was intrigued so therefore I agreed. I truly was not prepared for what I was going to be listening to. Ana Kefr in Arabic means I am Infidel. This is already a hint of what the band stands for. I've seen them labeled as philosophy metal and while at the core if you read the lyrics this is true there is so much more to this band then any of this. More after the jump.

Musically Ana Kefr can be closely attributed to early Opeth. There are so many styles fused in each song that it makes for a very chaotic listen. This could be a good thing as it forces you to pay attention and wonder what is coming next. Where I'm usually a picky listener is the vocals. I can dig growls and obviously clean vocals if both are done well. The vocals here do incorporate styles that I'm not a fan of like core and black metal but it happens so infrequently it's almost a nitpick. Especially when those styles are used for an effect in a particular song.

The instrumentation on this album is done very well. These guys are definitely prog as prog should be. Nothing sounds the same and the time signatures and riffs are decidedly unique even if the overall style is very reminiscent of Opeth as I mentioned before.

If I was to recommend this album to anyone it would have to be to someone that is a heavy prog fan with an open mind to different styles. I really can't give this a rating as I have nothing other then Opeth to compare this too and even then I couldn't give you a straight answer to my enjoyment level. These guys are pushing the music envelope and in a sea of sameness that is a good thing. Music should be fun but it should also be intelligent, provocative and challenging. This album delivers all of this and much more. Pick it up on May 3rd when it releases on Muse Sick Records.


More information on the band can be found on their official site or Myspace page.