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Anareta are an up-and-coming black metal group from New Orleans that stands out by having a fully dedicated string section. Plenty of black metal bands have some kind of symphonic element to their sound, but this is much closer to genuine classical compositions that happen to incorporate powerful howls of torment and the cold, harsh base of black metal in a way that reminds me of acts like Theorin and Hollenthon without sounding like strict copycats, mostly because Anareta are often more intense than either of them. The musicianship is strong and the atmosphere often grand and dire, but the balance between classical and metal comes at odds with each other in spots, with the balance typically being on the end of the former with the metal strictly in the background. There are some good guitar leads, but the riffs are mostly rhythmic and serve as a base for the stabbing violins, which isn't really a problem by itself, but I do find myself wishing the synthesis of classical strings and metal guitar were more closely intertwined. The songwriting also has that issue a lot of experimental bands that can actually write songs has where you can recognize the band from a mile away, but may have trouble figuring out which song is which. Complaints aside, songs like "The Descent" and the massive "Black Snake" prove the band has a vision unlike many others in the genre and has the chops to pull it off, and that means a lot in a scene bloated with second-wave wannabes. A band to watch.