Myrkur "Ragnarok" (2023)

 
Danish outfit Myrkur had a busy 2023. Not only Spine but this TV show soundtrack too. Surprisingly, Ragnarok is the more straightforward of the two. Rocking rural stints of Heathen Metal, guitars frequently drop in with overdriven power chords, chunky rhythms and a touch of Doom Metal lurches. Bruun's Scandinavian tongue roots its viking feeling when in spoken demeanor, her ascensions into charming sung passes feel like a softly symphonic charm to dress up the rather dirty, gritty guitar tones.

Each Metal song alternates with an orchestrated alternative, softer instrumentation, often keyboards, pianos and strings. Odins Sang offers a Nordic folk chant over primitive percussion. For the mesmerizing Modgunns Tema, a different direction. Deeply calming, mysterious and natural, the gentle lonely notes that glimmer in its lingering reverb feel like a tribute to first light over a pristine snow swept forest.

This shuffling variety is refreshing, creating quite a journey. Initially I was drawn to its softer side but the Metal tracks have a charm in their simplicity. The aesthetic is spot on for conjuring pagan visions and rural hardships worshiping ancient gods. Its subtly impressive and a firm reminder of why I'm still interested in what they might do next. Although completely fitting, Ragnarok is still candidly bewitching, even more so Spine.

Rating: 7/10

Myrkur "Spine" (2023)

After the aptly name Folkesange, Danish outfit Myrkur return to the Black Metal tinged aesthetics of their origins. Spine muddies the waters with an uncanny sense akin to a "covers album". Like Humans sets this striking tone, the "talk to me like humans do" chorus arises from a rubble of darkly guitar rumblings and morose pianos nestled in a foggy, swampy drone. The cadence and melodies of Amalie Bruun carry an elevated yet contrasting spirit, rhythm and rhyme akin to catchy yet emotive Synthpop.

Continuously, her knack for lyrical delivery evokes this peculiarity again and again. Other elements suggested similar feelings too. The tense, tick tock alike synth lines of Mothlike and its gleaming flush, a rapid melodic guitar solo that erupts from an initial dark rumble, this too felt like a differing origin brought to to serve a peculiar chemistry.

As the album runs, many inspirations are woven into its fabric. A strange mix of hazy subdued extremity and light shining through gloomy clouds. Blazing Sky brings the bloat and bombast of a sludgy Doom Metal riff to the mercy of Brunn's earthly, gentle voice. Again, its illuminating pivot into a catchy chorus gives this unshakable sense of an original piece re-imagined through a dark and contrasting genre.

After many spins and much pointless research, I've learned of this records authenticity and grown to adore its peculiar position. It speaks volumes to its chemistry as these magnetic songs carry multiple spirits in tandem. The band have yielded a record that doesn't fallen into any typicality or genre pitfalls. Gracefully, they brew great music with their own unique spirit. Its been a breath of fresh air to say the least!

Rating: 8/10

Old Man's Child "Born Of The Flickering" (1996)

 

Embarking on what will be an emotionally nostalgic musical journey, this first full length record from Old Man's Child is a rather fractured memory. Over the years I seemed to have formed the impression that Born Of The Flickering was a failed debut running counter to the magic of the In The Shades Of Life demo EP before it. Half of this record I remember fond and vividly. The other half brings a rush of excitement as new songs from a classic era enter the consciousness. My suspicion is I heard some of these songs in the piracy days of Napster and individual song sharing.

Born Of The Flickering is charming in its rawness and appetite. The production is rough around the edges with the vision emanating from within. Being mostly guitar led, the album kicks off with old earth castly songs of medieval kings, crusades and combat. Ancient magics are suggested by its garish purple record cover surrounding a vampiric bat and song themes fit for a nostalgic tone not far from Dungeon Synth.

The guitar dominance is bold early on, its mostly power chord slaying riffs not consistently accompanied by symphonic keys and heathen choral vocal chants, however their arrival is always timely. Along the way Galder picks up a knack for groove and bounce, subtly working in moving riffs between the drone of shadowy candle lit menace. Its abrasive for the time but doesn't lean to heavily on blast beats.

Along the way, Galder experiments with deep pitch shifted guttural groans in a beastly fashion with choral uplifts alongside his throaty howls. Its a welcome variety embellishing his vision. The productions rawness bolsters punctuating bass lines that sound amateurish and overpowering in their loose rumble yet seem only to aid the experience. Again, his Spanish acoustic guitar licks cropping up periodically are smooth and slick. The music outshines its mishmash of tones so often, leaving one to ask is fidelity really an issue? Although its obvious low budget, it seems nothing is lost!

Christian Death sticks out a thorn with its rehashing of Burzum's classic Stemmen Fra Tårnet riff, something a lot of early Black Metal bands rehash with their own inspiration. The following songs converge on some of the albums best moments, the ones I remember vividly. Old Man's Child stand impressively on its own at this point in time. Released the same year as Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, its the following releases that start to walk in the Dimmu Borgir vein. In this moment however, Galder forged a mood of his own.

Rating: 8/10

Borknagar "True North" (2019)

Borknagar, I remember! The glum shed on a fog swept field, a typically unreadable and yellow band logo atop the image. Their first album came out right in the mid 90s boom of post-global exposure Black Metal. Knowing they had ICS Vortex in the lineup, once of Dimmu Borgir and Arcturus, I felt quite keen to find out what one of my favorite voices was up to. To little surprise, the band have matured a lot from what I remember of that atypical, dingy, carbon copy debut record, the sort that just fell off into the flood of new bands joining in on the act.

To my pleasure they now take on moody atmospheres of northern folk charm. With sprinklings, often climatic, of screams, blast beats and power chord shredding, the band evenly resonate a calmer side brewing luscious settings of serenity interwoven with metallic upheavals of momentum. Its a progressive fusion of styles, rather adjacent to In The Woods. Dark and earthly songs forged through thoughtful musical arrangements sap magic from its instruments with visions of natural beauty.

Vortex's singing is an absolute pleasure, still a master of the gleaming, manly "clean vocal", he glides over these scenic soundtracks effortlessly. Its organic music with soft synths and colorful lead guitars. The three tend to interchange on leading the music forth and its held together with superb drumming that's a little on the mechanical side with its industrious hammering of stiff drum rolls. Quite often does the rhythmic syncopation of Metal guitars drive the music too and with that True North offers up variety and balance between the extreme and melodic ends of this style. Inspiring!

Favorite Tracks: Up North, Voices

Rating: 7/10

Saor "Forgotten Paths" (2019)

My introduction to Saor was a breath of fresh air beginning with their sophomore record Aura. Out from the now decades old genre of Black Metal that so routinely falls into its own established tropes, Saor introduced a soaring gleam of bright, triumphant, heathen melody to counteract its dark underbelly of blast beats, tremolo guitars and burly, gaunt screams. It may not have been an original twist on the sound but its execution was sublime and deeply inspired by Marshall's Scottish heritage and countryside. The following Guardians record was more of the same and had less of an impact on me. It may be the absence, or more likely the music but this new release has been a very fond listen for me these past two weeks.

The luscious and melodic side of the music feels expanded upon, a beautiful piano interlude middle of the opening title track and a entire song, Exile, dedicated to nostalgic folk sounds half a step away from Fief in the best of ways. This obvious expansion resonates in the lead guitars that gleam and glow, leading every song forward like a light carving the path through the pale on its epic journeys. Soaring with reverb and inflecting glorious melodies it rises high above the fury of beastly screams and pummeling drums, making its most abrasive sections feel bright and inspiring.

Through the loud and obvious instruments, pagan violins and glossy pianos shape tone and mood with a dose of folk and heritage that never leaves the music. Its a constant delight that makes the sound engulfing. Even in their quiet parts the lead guitar once again soaks you in the dazzle of its glimmering light. With three lengthy ten minute plus songs the music can hold this sense of constant beauty and epic without faultering. Bron is the darkest of the three and even it can find this stunning flicker of light in the black as its cultural elements blossom along the songs epic progression. Things really came together on this album and I can't recommend it enough.

Rating: 8/10

Myrkur "M" (2015)

Blown away by their fantastic sophomore record Mareridt I tracked back two years for their debut full length. Simply titled M, we hear ideas and darkly sounds closer to inception, rawer, rigidity in place and without the craft they would go on to display. At this point Bruun was writing alone and recording in the studio with session musicians who had little if no input on composition. It may not be the lone reason but we hear the music in a far more brittle form, the darkness, its uplifting light and rooted atmosphere of folk sounds play out in turns with obvious shifts and turns. Its tracks bleed into one experience as they barely delineate from one another on many fronts.

This initially made the record difficult to get into, its eruptions of snarly screams and harrowing demonic voices forcefully turned the pace of the music as blast beats and shrill guitars would descend on the listener, casting sections of heavenly singing and pagan instrumentation to the side. These three phases are often the focus of the music, her angelic voice, singing softly, gracing over the instruments from an illusive distance. The forcefully harsh and abrasive blasts of ugly Black Metal and the calls of ancestor through horns, violins, fiddles and a helping of atmospheric synth.

There are many moments where these three pillars overlap but often the transitions are rigid, obvious and in sequence. It feels very inspired by the blunt and bold Black Metal of the 90s yet shows the need for the craft, care and inspiration they go on to show in the next record. Initially I focused on this to much and didn't enjoy the record much but with repetition its familiarity let the vibe and mood of the record sink in, which despite some short comings it does has a similar tone to its predecessor... In places... Tracks like Mordet feel cut from the cloth of yesterdays sound of northern darkness but the record charm of swaying from the arms of darkness to the roots of heritage eventually takes over.

All in all M is a decent record that would have been better enjoyed first. The potential it shows feels weaker in retrospect but its ability to cast a spell and create a lasting atmosphere is strong. The sways from black to light and then to heathenish culture are fun and enjoyable. The crafts of subtly and persuasion are not yet with them but blunt the plunges into hell are fun and its gothic edge is charming. Although this may seem like the start their is a short EP beforehand too. I will check that out next.

Rating: 6/10

Myrkur "Mareridt" (2017)

There's always music to be discovered and this year at Download Festival I decided to wander over to the forth stage while grabbing some food and to my delight caught an unexpected amazing show by the Danish group Myrkur. A combination of furious Black Metal and angelic singing played right to my tune, I knew I would have to pick up a record and my first is their second.

Mareridt, Danish for nightmare, reveals so much more about their sound from the live experience, although it is probably a dimension to their sound your just not going to hear first time around at a show. The record however shows depth and emotion in abundance as the contrast between singer Amalie Bruun and her band goes beyond a simple concept and aesthetic, tapping deep into the folk sound of pagan cultural roots.

The record achieves a meditative, indulgent state just at its surface level alone. Steady, naturalistic songs let the light draw to Bruun's singing as she delves into soft angelic singing with accents of Scandinavian heritage, on De Tre Piker she goes all the way in with what could pass as on old hymn handed down through generations, stunning singing reminiscent of Lisa Gerrard. Behind her the music finds different temperaments with the Black Metal aspect of the music finding many intensities to approach from, occasional bursts of ugly, snarly spats of grimness fuel some darkness but more often than not, it rides on the uplifting gleam of awe inspired lead melodies, similar to the epic grandiose scale of an act like Saor. It mostly serves as an aesthetic for the theme.

As the distortion guitars and drumming compete for their moments they sway up again the persuasion of heathen sounds. Violins, harps, modern synths, organs and pianos grip firmly on the naturalistic experience that will have one smelling the outdoors air, feeling the breeze as it rustles through the leaves of tress. One can really feel the spiritual connection to the forgotten past when man was closer to mother nature. The swaying and competition between two sounds gives the album a healthy flow that finds an interesting middle moment on Funeral as Chelsea Wolfe lends her voice to an abyssal, slow, crushing instrumental that could of easily been on her own record. It highlights some similarities but more so adds to the diverse pallet these songs have with one another.

On first listen I felt the Black Metal aspect to be rather rigid and stiff in its volatile phases. I could hear a lot of 90s abrasiveness at work but with each listen as the overall theme became clearer its chemistry in relation to Bruun's voice and the other cultural sounds gave it a far more organic and Post feel. Perceptions change and I am finding myself loving this record more and more with each listen. Its moods, feelings and vision run deep, the music comes to life with vivid visuals of dark and ancient times filled with pagan mysticism.

There is a very personal and mischievous period in the outro track Bornehjem, a childish Golem alike voice talks to its demons, leaving me to believe there is most likely a much more personal theme running through the lyrics, of which I haven't read, perhaps that is something I should make the effort to do. This band will undoubtedly be one of my favorite new discoveries this year and luckily there is their debut record to get into next.

Favorite Tracks: The Serpent, Elleskudt, De Tre Piker, Funeral, Ulvinde

Rating: 8/10

Drudkh "Microcosmos" (2009)

I enjoyed the Ukrainian bands latest release Somewhere Sadness Wanders. Intrigued by their dense, stoic sound I turned to what some fans say is their finest moment, the seventh album, Microcosmos, which I unfortunately didn't find a connection deserving of such praise. My experience of this record is mostly mediocrity with an exceptional moment of soaring epic between a hardship of forms broken by a raw, visual Slavic folk instrumentation in the acoustic oriented moments that interlink long passageways of thick, grisly guitars that span four lengthy ordeals.

Moody cold winds, overcast skies and vast forests stretching the mountains as Drudkh capture the bleak yet beautiful side of Eastern European countrysides with their thick wall of tonal noise. The ever present drone of dense, chromatic guitars haze over clunky, muddied baselines as the drums do an industrious job of holding it together with on a kit that rattles and rumbles as if its bursting at the seems, ready to fall apart. Singer Thurious snarls and shrieks in his native tongue at regular measures with a helping amount of reverberation that bleeds his shouts into the fog of guitar distortion.

The songs grind and groan as unapologetic riffs carry the burden of continuing forward on these nine minute plus epics. They carry a hardship as bluesy woes cry from the harmonization buried in its tonal thickness. No flashy tricks, or stunts shift the music in unexpected directions or uplift the weight, "Ars Poetica" finds respite in the rumbling of a gentle snare drum alongside a folk like acoustic plucking as the song rests its tired feet for a moment. Its a continuous journey of hardship with only the occasional break for something a little more excitable, the albums longest song "Decadence" drags us through the dark to the eight minute mark for a gleaming moment of triumph and relief as the song reaches a satisfying peak with its soaring riff of victory.

Flashy electric guitar solos arise in short bursts on these songs. With a more conventional tone and flair they seem a little out of place however one can hear that's not what the band were going for. They have sorrow, grief and pain in their call but the tone feels unequal to the music and they stuck out like a sore thumb for me. The atmosphere this records holds is strong and rigid, vivid and engulfing but its wasn't quite to my taste, it leans to far into the struggle with not enough rest from the ruin.

Favorite Song: Decedance

Rating: 5/10

Old Corpse Road "Of Campfires And Evening Mists" (2016)

If ever Ive heard a band that captures the spirit of early Cradle Of Filth it is Old Corpse Road, who I discovered during Bloodstock festival back in 2014. Hailing from northern England, they invigorate that early extreme gothic sound once erroneously coined "British Black Metal" when Cradle were still wearing corpse paint and drawing links with the Norwegian scene. It is a rather formulaic similarity where shrill, piercing screams accompany guttural growls and burly spoken word over the extreme metallic music, aggressive, visual and drenched in symphonic keyboards. As the title suggests its a romanticized vision of British folklore and natural beauty expressed through the the typical tropes of such a sound, however the band execute it all with a touch of class a richer approach to the less Metal oriented moments.

With four ten minute plus epics the eight track record is quite a meal, clocking in at sixty four minutes it rarely lets up with a dull moment to pass. The songs are equally expansive and across the record a lot of variety is to be found, sometimes the guitars lead with groove and aggression, in other moments they let up for the synths to build atmosphere and furthermore drop out entirely for many symphonic or acoustic passageways enriching the musics scope. With all of the members pitching in on the vocal front a barrage of styles become possible as the ever progressing instrumentals are narrated by many voices. For all the variety on hand, these songs have structure and direction, they cohesively unfold, often from driving guitar riffs and gnarly blast beats into expansive atmospheres and soaring moments that certainly deliver.

All of the songs are dense and well fleshed out with a lot going on at once for your ears to pick through. The production is reasonable, the instruments have nice tones, the synths are stark and loud and at time it feels a little muddy with so much going on but it holds together well for the music to shine and shine it does. Each song has its own merit and one of my favorite aspects are the folklore and mythological themes that resonate superbly alongside the gothic vibes. Solid record that I can't falter, excellent for the right, specific mood, best enjoyed in the winds of cold English nights.

Favorite Track: Herne Of Windsor Forest

Rating: 7/10

Saor "Guardians" (2016)

Ive been awaiting this record for some time, Saor, a one man band, really impressed me with his last release "Aura", a fine record that took traditional Black Metal values to a serine, warm and heart felt setting inspired by the Scottish highlands. It was a mature, seasoned piece of music that took all the mockeries away from the extreme music and imbued it with the sombre beauty of the natural world. It ended up being one of my favorite records of the year. So Saor returns, still a one man band and unchanged in approach "Guardians" stagnates somewhat, repeating the same successes of its predecessor.

Its a noticeable step up in fidelity, richer clarity in the guitar distortion and organized space gives room for the stunning string sections and earthly bagpipes to gleam through the walls of blast beats and guitar shredding. The songs take on grandiose themes and progressions with each clocking in over ten minutes and going through many passageways, soaring high, tumbling lows and climatic peaks in their wake. A little more groove and rhythm feels present in the guitar styling than before but mostly its power chord whirling as the flutes and fiddles inflict human melodies and cultural folk roots into the heathen music.

There are times where deep guttural shouts accompany guitar focused sections and it can drift into a sleepwalk between its grandiose moments. Although aesthetically polished and stronger the music competes with its own style as some parts feel like a repeating formula. "Tears Of A Nation" tips the scales with a break at the six minute mark for a truly memorable moment as the album concludes with a timeless melody, heightened by the continual shifts in intensity that comes from the Metal instruments. Its a solid record but more of the same, which is not a bad thing given the brilliance of this project, however it doesn't surpass the benchmark of "Aura" for me.

Rating: 6/10

Moonsorrow "Jumalten Aika" (2016)

Who are Moonsorrow? A Finnish band from the counties capital Helsinki who define themselves as "Heathen Metal" in an attempt to distinguish their inspirations from the Viking and Pagan forms of Metal they sound alike to. Ive seen the groups logo on shirts, jean jackets and festival bills but the name never drew me in to find out who they were. Its a shame I didn't listen sooner because they are my absolute cup of tea in an area of music I never get tired of. The band tread the lines with Black Metal through shrill vocals, sharp aggressive guitar riffs and its Heathen counterpart with Symphonic walls of melodic density and its core theme.

Consisting of four lengthy tracks and the shorter seven minute single "Jumalten Aika" it is immersive in the fullest sense, deep songs in a wall of sound with pacey progressions that keep you locked into a heathen world inspired by natural beauty. The belly of the beast are the bellowing baselines and drums hammering away in a muddy production that has the distortion guitars and symphonies bleeding over the two, never loosing focus on the musics direction. In the distance shrill screams and crys call out with a less than human touch for what is primarily an ancient human experience of epic pagan wonder. The songs start out steady, ever building towards climatic moments that have the strength and surge to carry on for minutes in the gleam of their triumphant melodies played on the keys. Even in the opening stages of "Ruttolehto" do warlike horns set the stakes high with a style similar to Graveland's classic "Prawo Stali". It shifts at the arrival of archaic group chants and around the six minute mark they re-emerge as choral chants with a stunning harmony before the song gives way to a flute like native instrument with such charm and authenticity, it grows to epic heights as the choral chants grow in magnitude and when the "heavy", the distortion comes back in it has its moment before winding down with a vivid soundscape of acoustics, native folk instruments and chants.

The album and its songs develop in similar ways with all sorts of flutes, horns and strings becoming essential parts of a songs direction while they drop in and out between the Black, their scale unchained by expectation and ripe with inspired melodies to wisk you up into their heathen world. The production plays an important role as it would do in any record. On paper it may seem a little to muddy and dense for charm with the clarity of the drums always under pressure from the oozing walls of synth working their around the grizzly treble heavy guitar tone. Symbols burst out of the background with a clatter and it all works so well for a theme that requires a little grit and authenticity.

The heights of epic this record soars with is remarkable. It reminds me of many of moments, records and songs that are reminiscent of Moonsorrow's take on Black Metal, however the band have homed in on a vision and created a record of true inspiration. Its a reminder of musics progression and although these extreme genres of metal may of passed two decades in age, their is still much maturity and understanding in its craft to be explored and this band are doing just that. Whats best about the record as a whole is a lack of a single crowning moment. Each song has you in its grasp, maybe you know what comes next but by the time it passes and you've reached the end you can't wait to start it over again.

Rating: 9/10

Saor "Aura" (2014)

Saor is a one-man-band project inspired by the landscapes and cultural heritage of the Scottish highlands. This record immediately revealed itself upon my first listen, the rich atmosphere sets an immersible tone for the Celtic folk influences to shine through. Its not to often an album can be instantly appealing, but its always a pleasant surprise. Since my first listen everything that became apparent about this sound has been true of the record and i have thoroughly enjoyed "Aura" the bands second full length. 

The five songs that make up "Aura" are lengthy, passionate epics that don't progress as much as they immerse in theme and inspiration, often keeping your attention locked in. There is variety in pace, instrumentation and composition that keeps a steady mood with great maturity. The reoccurring flute leads are delightful and the instrumental writing is detailed, lots of care has been put into the drums which were a highlight for me, they are never boring, always finding fills and cymbals to color the demanding blast beat nature of Black Metal songs. Alongside the usual arsenal are strings, flutes, bagpipes & violins bringing home the Celtic heart of these songs, there presence in these songs is a work of art and beauty.

The production feels flawless, the mix finds the balance for each instrument to shine without anything feeling overpowered. The strings are both subtle and powerful, chiming in just under the guitars they have a powerful effect on these songs and sit in a place where they can be in or out of focus depending on what your listening to. They help guide the emotional narrative of these songs, where the guitars and drums build the atmosphere alongside them. The unity of all the instruments on this record is stunning, guttural growls and screams add the human element and on "The Awakening" distant cultural chants climax the song in awe. Altogether we have a very complete and defined record that creates a beautiful listening experience every time.

Favorite Songs: Aura, Farewell

Rating: 7/10

Panopticon "Roads To The North" (2014)

Black Metal has a strange characteristic, diversity. For a genre so dark, aggressive and rebellious, it is quite amazing how varied its sound is and how many other styles have been successfully fused with it. Maybe the musical boundaries it pushed were big ones. Either way it is often i am listening to a new Black Metal record and hearing something new and interesting. This record is a great example.

Panopticon brings some unique diversity to the "folk" element which is no stranger to Black Metal, however here the folk isn't viking or Norwegian as we have often heard it, Panopticon is from a mining town in Kentucky and brings the sounds and instruments of their culture into the extremes in perfect harmony. The opening of the 3 part epic "The Long Road" an instrumental folk piece, brings you into the heart of a mining town, only for the drums to tear into a blistering blast beat in part 2... and it works!

This record not only fuses the folk element into Panopticons sound but each of the songs bring riffing styles and techniques from all across the metal spectrum. The opening track brings riffage reminiscent of the Metalcore / Deathcore era from a few years back and there are moments of Melodic Death Metal throughout. This record displays fantastic musicianship and has me seeking out further material to enjoy. A recommendation to any Black Metal fan who likes the less traditional sounds it can bring.

Favorite Tracks: The Long Road, The Echoes Of A Disharmonic Evensong

Rating: 7/10