Agreed a totally boring album. But then go ask yourself how much really worthy stuff did Angel Witch actually record during the NWOBHM (it's actually an era in time and not a sound )? Just one album, their debut.

Totally agreed with the review

Album title: Isn't that a Malmsteen song?

I just can't understand the user ratings for this album. Six 10's, two 9's, six 8's... I mean, wtf? I thought that even a die hard fan of NWOBHM would consider this weak compared to other albums of the genre. This is just plain boring and uninspired...

Written by Edmund Fogg on 18.04.2012 at 20:42
Album title: Isn't that a Malmsteen song?

It's a Hermetic phrase, and I wouldn't be surprised if a Metal-Archives search brought up hundreds of results.

I'm personally more familiar with Behemoth's take.

What pains me is that Bill Steer of Carcass is part of this.

This is a guy that was such an integral part of grindcore, melodeath and progressive music as a whole. To see him move from all this interesting material to a genre as redundant as NWOBHM is frustrating.

I'm just thinking of all the good extreme material that could have happened in the sixteen years since Swansong.

Aside from a pair of good tracks, the album does drag on a bit too much. It's somewhat progressive which may mean it requires another 2-3 spins to fully appreciate it, but after the initial listen I just didn't feel any urgency in the songs to make you get up and shove your fist in the air or so much as nod your head. I picked it up anyway, mainly because I'm a huge Angel Witch fan and the guys deserve the credit for their debut masterpiece. Also the artwork is pretty awesome.

It's important to note that Bill Steer did not play or contribute to the songwriting on this album. He is a full-time touring member of the band.

"NWOBHM has to be one of the most depressing genres when it comes to looking at metal in a modern light. It's just overflowing with aged bands that really should retire, but still just won't stop putting out shit albums".

Could be easily extended to the entire traditional Heavy Metal genre.

Written by RavenKing on 19.04.2012 at 00:47

"NWOBHM has to be one of the most depressing genres when it comes to looking at metal in a modern light. It's just overflowing with aged bands that really should retire, but still just won't stop putting out shit albums".

Could be easily extended to the entire traditional Heavy Metal genre.

Slough Feg would like a word with you. But its undeniably true, in with the new out with the old as they say. Can't see why the old dogs can't have their fun though, sometimes they even produce something which reaches a broader audience than those firmly grounded in the 'outdated'.
That said this album is just painful.

Personally,i enjoyed it quite a lot,not that it's up on par to their first release but definitely better than the albums that followed. 7.6-7.8/10 for me .

as for the following statement
"NWOBHM has to be one of the most depressing genres when it comes to looking at metal in a modern light. It's just overflowing with aged bands that really should retire, but still just won't stop putting out shit albums".
the only problem being the fact that almost all have retired and from the ones left,most only do live performances and to the ones that still release new material we have the likes of Saxon,Hell,Pagan Altar...

btw if you change some of the words it will be a perfect fit for (traditional) thrash,(norwegian) black metal and other genres

You're all nuts. There's nothing wrong with this album. There is so much garbage in this wing of the genre these days, Angel Witch should be commended for the high quality of this release. It makes their contemporaries look like pushovers.

Firstly, the performances are stellar. Not only is Kevin Heybourne's guitar playing still phenomenal, the rhythm section is deft, propulsive, and perfectly fitting for the updated Angel Witch sound. As Above, So Below is easily better than both Screamin n Bleedin and Frontal Assault, two lame releases which have surprisingly high ratings on here. It's far closer to the spirit of their classic debut than any of their other releases, and a more appropriate continuation of their legacy. It's also a cut above other "comeback"/"reunion" albums that have cropped up of late. Even modern bands working in this and related genres are rarely this compelling. While some modern bands have tried to move forward with the trad/nwobhm style, they usually end up trading character for polish. On this album, Angel Witch strikes a rare balance between the old and new, recalling the glory days of their debut while still adding a modern edge to their sonic assault. And the songs are great, thoroughly compelling and highly memorable.

Dead Sea Scrolls, Into the Dark, Witching Hour, Brainwashed... If these don't do anything for you then you just might be a false metal goon. At the very least, you're looking in the wrong place for your music fix. Try a genre you actually like, maybe? As a fan of the band (and not an excruciating hipster pretending to be discerning) As Above, So Below is hugely satisfying.

It's sad that bands like Metallica and Black Sabbath can phone it in entirely and get an honorary 8/10 just for not recording St. Anger part 2, while a lesser name like Angel Witch can release a vastly superior album (Brainwashed - for example - decimates everything on Death Magnetic) and catch nothing but puerile whinging from hyper-critical nerds trying to be confused for someone with taste.

Written by Dead In Hell on 11.07.2013 at 01:44

false metal

You lost when you said this.

Written by Dead In Hell on 11.07.2013 at 01:44

It's also a cut above other "comeback"/"reunion" albums that have cropped up of late.

This goon and excruciating hipster would recommend Satan's comeback album to you. Sounds far more exciting than this one, different style of revived trad/NWOBHM but one I much prefer.

Written by R'Vannith on 11.07.2013 at 04:18

Written by Dead In Hell on 11.07.2013 at 01:44

It's also a cut above other "comeback"/"reunion" albums that have cropped up of late.

This goon and excruciating hipster would recommend Satan's comeback album to you. Sounds far more exciting than this one, different style of revived trad/NWOBHM but one I much prefer.

Yep, Satan's Life Sentence is vastly superior on all fronts.
Relistened As Above, So Below a couple of days ago and it remains a snoozefest with mediocre songs that just meander on and are a totally mid rtempo affair. Only two decent songs are Dead Sea Scorll and Guillotine, but then again Guillotine stems from the early Eighties when they already played that one live regularly but somehow never recorded it.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.07.2013 at 11:42

Written by R'Vannith on 11.07.2013 at 04:18

Written by Dead In Hell on 11.07.2013 at 01:44

It's also a cut above other "comeback"/"reunion" albums that have cropped up of late.

This goon and excruciating hipster would recommend Satan's comeback album to you. Sounds far more exciting than this one, different style of revived trad/NWOBHM but one I much prefer.

Yep, Satan's Life Sentence is vastly superior on all fronts.
Relistened As Above, So Below a couple of days ago and it remains a snoozefest with mediocre songs that just meander on and are a totally mid rtempo affair. Only two decent songs are Dead Sea Scorll and Guillotine, but then again Guillotine stems from the early Eighties when they already played that one live regularly but somehow never recorded it.

There's just no energy here at all, as the good Doc pointed out in the review. It's a snoozefest for me too unfortunately. Satan on the other hand have still got it.

Both Satan and Hell as well are still going strong. I was disappointed when I listened As Above, So Belov (damn, Behemoth title) but I kinda of see it in a different light now. With a couple of more listens, I actually enjoy it quite a bit.

I miss those negative insulting album revievs, from MS staffers, somehow I want say its over dramatic to this one, but many NWOBHM and many bands must retire, or we simply have way to many bands today?