Grift - Syner (Album Review)

Tracklist:

1. Aftonlandet  
2. Svältorna    
3. Det bortvända ansiktet   
4. Slutet hav    
5. Undergörare    
6. Eremiten Esaias

This is the very recently released debut full length from the Swedish one man black metal project Grift, this album see’s Erik Gärdefors playing all instruments and providing vocals. Erik Gärdefors has been involved in a number of projects before Grift including a now defunct solo project called Haemophilia. This album was released less than two weeks ago (as of time of writing) and comes some months after the project did a spilt with the also Swedish black metal project Saiva.

Having only just discovered Grift through this album I was surprised by just how expertly crafted the sound was, the album in fact features some very good production quality for a first full length.

The sound itself is an interesting blend of mournful epic black metal with strong currents of depressive and post black metal. These elements alongside some acoustic influence give the album a very rich and crisp sound that works extremely well with the often cold painful screaming vocals of Gärdefors.

Overall I think this is a superb release that shows an incredible amount of promise for future work from the project, Grift really is one to watch.  

Buy the album here  
 

Kalmankantaja - Muinainen (Album Review)

Tracklist:

1. Hautasaattue 
2. Yön alttarilla 
3. Mustan usvan takana (Instrumental)

This is the latest and seventh full length from the prolific two man Finnish depressive black metal project Kalmankantaja. It features “Grim666” providing all the musicianship, and “Nagh” providing vocals.

Considering just how prolific this band has been since being formed in 2011 it is surprising that they continue to put out quality music, for example in 2014 the band put out four full length albums, Ikuinen taival, Ahdistus, Musta lampi,and Viimeinen virsi all of which are well worth listen.

This album starts off with clear intent with the first track Hautasaattue which is in my opinion the best track on the album, as it features some stunning melodic gloom displayed through raw and painful riffs that work in perfect harmony with the choked cries and screams of Nagh. This track really does draw the listener into a long and harrowing trail of nature, isolation and depression.

My only problem with this album is the final track, Mustan usvan takana which is a dull and pretty repetitive instrumental based mainly on ambiance and uninspired keyboard playing, this is a real shame as it gives the albums conclusion a very drawn out and needless feel that leaves it a little flat.

However, despite its problems this is still a good depressive black metal album, with strong riff’s and superb vocals, I highly recommend you check it out.  

Support the band here

 

Nocturnal Depression - Spleen Black Metal (Album Review)

Tracklist:

1. Elégie                      

2. L'isolement             

3. Acédie                    

4. Méditation grisâtre              

5. Un immense désespoir        

6. Remords posthume             

7. Spleen Black Metal

Originally released back in May of this year, this is the seventh, and most recent album from the French depressive black metal project Nocturnal Depression, helmed by “Lord Lokhraed” (Grim Landscape, Aghone). Since being formed in 2004 the band has been extremely active and have put out at least one release of one kind or another almost every year since their inception.

As a fairly long-time fan of the band I was very much surprised to find that this album had escaped my dragnet, thus I am only coming to it now.

Nocturnal Depression’s full lengths have never failed to impress me and this release is no exception. Everything from the masterful and atmospheric guitar work, to the occasional use of classical instruments such as a violin and a cello and of course the incredibly powerful and heartrending vocals of Lord Lokhraed give this album an incredibly emotionally desolate feel. It isn’t simply grim and almost forcefully depressive as some DSBM and depressive black metal projects are, its darkness comes very naturally and feels very organic.

For fans of depressive black metal this is must, and fans of Nocturnal Depression will not be disappointed at all, this is a stunning album and one I encourage all of you to check out.  

Buy the album here    

   

Thornium - North Storms Of The Bestial Goatsign (Demo Review)

Tracklist:

1. In the Depths of Northern Darkness                       

2. North Storms of the Bestial Goatsign                      

3. Min Vandring Till Mörkrets Furste

This the first release from the then solo Swedish black metal project Thornium, then helmed by “Thyph” (Thypheus), and it was released completely independently in 1994.

As you can probably already tell by the cover artwork for the release, this is cold raw and bloody viscous black metal of the kind that was thankfully so popular in Northern Europe at the time.

Everything about this demo literally screams hatred and a grim fascination with the occult, everything from the guttural and raw vocal work to the not very complex but still effective riff work has a certain distinct element of insanity that is fairly hard to capture.

This is by no means a ground-breaking release of its time, nor is it even that original really, but it is still a very solid demo that is well worth a listen if you’re into raw black metal.