Anaal Nathrakh is a British extreme metal band formed in 1999 in Birmingham… Read Full Bio ↴Anaal Nathrakh is a British extreme metal band formed in 1999 in Birmingham, England. They are currently signed to Metal Blade Records. The band's name is Irish for snake's breath (anál nathrach) and was taken from Merlin's Charm of Making in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur.[1] The band recorded two demos in 1999, which were later released as an album.

The band took their founding cues from Norwegian black metal bands such as Mayhem, Burzum, and Darkthrone. The duo recorded two demos before delivering their first full album, The Codex Necro, in 2001,[4] that, according to The A.V. Club, "set a standard of blackened death that still hasn’t been equaled".[5] In 2004, Anaal Nathrakh released their second full-length album, Domine Non Es Dignus, on the French label Season of Mist.[6] In 2006, the group's third album, Eschaton (commonly referred to as the "end of the world" or "end times"),[7] was released.[8] The album featured guest appearances by Shane Embury of Napalm Death[8] and Attila Csihar of Mayhem.[9] The album Hell Is Empty and All the Devils Are Here was released through the band's new record label, FETO Records, in October 2007.[10] The album features guest appearances from Joe Horvath of Circle of Dead Children.[11]

In 2009, Anaal Nathrakh announced that they signed to record label Candlelight Records for their release of In the Constellation of the Black Widow.[12] Commenting on the signing, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. stated, "Candlelight have shown a strong belief in Anaal Nathrakh and looking at some of the acts on their roster both past and present it seems they are capable of backing up their good intentions. With their help we hope we can finally get the planet cracked in half", and "Constellation will be faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dexterous and wilder than ever before. The album will feature a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists Repvblika."[13]

Anaal Nathrakh released their sixth full-length album, Passion, in 2011,[14] and their seventh, Vanitas, in 2012. The band finished recording for their eighth full-length album, Desideratum, in February 2014, and released the album on 28 October 2014.[15] Desideratum was the band's first album release since signing to Metal Blade Records in June of the same year.[16]

The band's ninth album, The Whole of the Law, was released on 28 October 2016.[17] On 20 May 2018, it was revealed that they were going to release their tenth studio album, titled A New Kind of Horror. The album was released on 28 September 2018.[18]

In early 2020, the band recorded their eleventh album, Endarkenment.[19] The Album was released on October 2nd 2020

Other bands Kenney has been in: Born to Murder the World, Make Them Die Slowly, Mistress, Monkeys Are Machine Guns, Fukpig, Professor Fate, Suffer Well and Kordhell.

So Be It
Anaal Nathrakh Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ecce Dominus dissipabit terram
Et nudabit eam, et affliget faciem ejus
Et disperget habitatores ejus

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh
But countless shall be the son of man

Dissipatione dissipabitur terra, et direptione prædabitur

Dominus enim locutus est verbum hoc

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh
But countless shall be the son of man

Propter hoc maledictio vorabit terram,
Et peccabunt habitatores ejus
Ideoque insanient cultores ejus
Et relinquentur homines pauci

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh.
But countless shall be the son of man

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Anaal Nathrakh's "So Be It" are steeped in religious imagery and apocalyptic themes. The song begins with the phrase "Ecce Dominus dissipabit terram," which translates to "Behold, the Lord will scatter the earth." This sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which describe the destruction and chaos that will ensue when the Lord brings his judgment upon the world.

The next line, "Et nudabit eam, et affliget faciem ejus," means "And he will strip it bare and afflict its face." This suggests that the earth will be laid bare and left exposed to the elements, while its inhabitants will suffer greatly under the Lord's wrath. The following line, "Et disperget habitatores ejus," means "And he will scatter its inhabitants," further emphasizing the idea of displacement and chaos.

The chorus repeats the phrase "For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh," which comes from the Book of Isaiah in the Bible. The repetition underscores the inevitability and severity of the Lord's judgment. However, the chorus also includes the line "But countless shall be the son of man," which suggests that even in the midst of this destruction, there will still be those who endure and survive.

The second verse of the song reiterates the idea of destruction and chaos. The phrase "Dissipatione dissipabitur terra, et direptione prædabitur," means "The earth will be devastated by dissipation and ravaged by plundering." The following line, "Dominus enim locutus est verbum hoc," means "For the Lord has spoken this word," emphasizing that this destruction is divine in origin.

The final lines of the song speak of the curse that will consume the earth, as well as the madness of those who worship it. The phrase "Propter hoc maledictio vorabit terram, Et peccabunt habitatores ejus," means "Therefore a curse will devour the earth, and its inhabitants will sin." The following line, "Ideoque insanient cultores ejus, Et relinquentur homines pauci," means "And so its worshippers will go mad, and few men will be left."

Line by Line Meaning

Ecce Dominus dissipabit terram
Behold, the Lord will scatter the earth

Et nudabit eam, et affliget faciem ejus
And he will strip it bare, and afflict its face

Et disperget habitatores ejus
And scatter its inhabitants

For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh
The Lord will use fire and sword to judge all living beings

But countless shall be the son of man
But many humans will survive

Dissipatione dissipabitur terra, et direptione prædabitur
The earth will be destroyed by waste and plunder

Dominus enim locutus est verbum hoc
For the Lord has spoken this word

Propter hoc maledictio vorabit terram,
Therefore, a curse will consume the earth

Et peccabunt habitatores ejus
And its inhabitants will sin

Ideoque insanient cultores ejus
Thus, its worshippers will go mad

Et relinquentur homines pauci
And only a few humans will remain