MÖRK GRYNING: “FASORNAS TID”

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Dec 262024
 

(Below you’ll find a review by our Oslo-based contributor Chile of the new album by the Swedish black metal band Mörk Gryning, which was released earlier this month by Season of Mist.)

The times of horrors are truly upon us. With the approach of everything everywhere gnawing all at once, there is something comforting in the knowledge that we as a civilization are still capable of putting out almost nine thousand metal albums each year. Listening to all of them, well, that’s a different story, maybe it will go down as a New Year’s resolution for the coming turn of the calendar. Until then, you are welcome to all the great writing on this very site.

Among those thousands, we are first and foremost focused on the quality in our selection, a logical statement if there ever was one. Enter Swedish band Mörk Gryning which has been around for some time now, and saying that would be an understatement, at the very least. Three decades deep into their career (although with a decade lost in a hiatus from activities), they have released some bona fide classics in albums like Tusen år har gått… or Maelstrom Chaos cementing their place in the pantheon of Swedish metal and surely black metal in general. 

The well-received comeback album Hinsides vrede released in 2020 has put the band back into the spotlight and with it also hopefully brought a new generation of fans. Since fans only want one thing, Mörk Gryning are returning after four years with their new album titled Fasornas tid out now on Season of Mist. The album, more or less, keeps the format of the previous one with twelve tracks in total, although with fewer interludes and a bit longer running time of 44 minutes. Continue reading »

NIGRUM: “BLOOD WORSHIP EXTREMISM”

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Dec 172024
 

(Our Oslo-based contributor Chile prepared the following review of a new album by the now-Sweden-based black metal band Nigrum. The album was just released last month by Iron Bonehead Productions.)

Multiculturalism, what a concept. Joining two (or more) different cultures in a fusion of varying elements of traditions, customs, and human existences to achieve a new state of equilibrium and a richer tapestry of life for everyone to enjoy. Anyway, where else would that be more true and visible than in that melting pot of postmodern lunacy, namely metal. 

Such is the story of Nigrum, originally hailing from Mexico, but settling in Sweden, thus bringing some of the southern madness into the insanity of the darker parts of the world. Coming off their well-received debut album Elevenfold Tail, which was a fantastic accomplishment in itself, Nigrum have wasted no time in recording a follow-up to keep the momentum going. Two years have passed, and with some minor personnel changes, Blood Worship Extremism is now before us, courtesy of Iron Bonehead Productions. Continue reading »

OSLO DEATHFEST: DAY 2

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Dec 052024
 

(This is our Oslo-based contributor Chile‘s report on the second day of the second edition of Oslo Deathfest, which took place on November 29-30 this year, accompanied by his photos.)

Saturday morning came too early, the sweet aching of the body’s night excursions seemingly still present. A couple of cups of coffee later, all is well again, the mysteries of the organism. A perfectly choreographed self-hypnosis ritual. The ice has retreated from the streets and given way to the rain in a move surprising absolutely nobody here. We are ready to go.

Second day of Oslo Deathfest keeps the format of the previous day, but goes even harder with eight bands in total and starting at four in the afternoon to accommodate them all. We are once again greeted by the organisers and the good people at Vaterland for the first two bands.  Continue reading »

OSLO DEATHFEST: DAY 1

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Dec 042024
 

(Our Oslo-based contributor Chile had the good fortune to attend the latest edition of Oslo Deathfest on November 29-30, and he has given us the following lively report, accompanied by his photos.)

Time does fly on the wings of death. Nowhere more true than on the ice-covered streets of Oslo, where a moment of inattention takes you straight into the abyss or the pavement, whichever comes first. A bit dramatic, but that’s life. Threading slowly and with great care, walking through winter streets alone, he stops and takes a breath with confidence and self control; Friday has finally come to bring us the first day of Oslo Deathfest, the annual fest of unreadable logos.

A full year has already come to pass from the first edition of Oslo Deathfest, which aims to be a regular gathering for both the bands and the fans of that most beautiful genre of gut-wrenching riffs and crushing rhythms, namely death metal. Last year’s first edition was a success in itself and it was only normal to expect that the organisers would build on that by trying to expand the festival.

And they do. Going from nine bands in 2023, mostly of local fare, but still full of strong names, this year’s festival brings us fourteen bands of colourful, international variety from four corners of the Earth spread over the course of two days. Continue reading »

DJEVEL: “NATT TIL ENDE”

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Nov 192024
 

(Today we welcome to NCS a Croatian metal writer currently based in Oslo, Norway, who goes by the name Chile. He brings us the following review of the new album by the Norwegian black metal band Djevel, just released by Aftermath Music.)

Yes, talk about being on a roll. While some bands would take their sweet time to release an album or two, Norwegian forces of otherworldly nature and all things black in the form of Djevel, have come back to us with their ninth album in just fifteen years of existence. Some would raise an eyebrow or two to this prolific manner in this day and age, but we are raising our glasses and horns to another devilish masterpiece.

Appropriately titled Natt til ende (Night to the End) and released in the middle of the dark November by Aftermath Music, the album packs a punch so fierce that the fury unleashed can be felt up to high heavens, which makes even more sense when we heed the words of T. Ciekals, the creative force behind Djevel: Continue reading »