Norwegian black metal veterans Tulus are back with their new opus, first one in three years. eighth in all. I remember how they blew me away with their debut album ‘Pure Black Energy’ back in the day. Members of Tulus also play in Sarke and Khold among other bands and projects. This opus offers ten songs of what is somewhat called True Norwegian Black Metal, but I would say with lots of prog and inventive elements thrown into songwriting. Aggression and old school atmosphere is still here, but there are couple of songs, like excellent ‘Sjelesmerte’ which involves changes in tempo, slowed down, and those eerie female vocals melodies are superb, courtesy of Lena Fløitmoen who also sings female vocals for Sarke. All lyrics are in Norwegian and that is another plus although I do not speak it and not understand besides my German and English but I manage to get context of the lyrics. One of my favorites is also ‘Bloddråpesvermer’ with that bass line melody, thrown in acoustic guitars and melancholic piano ending. If you are into old school Norwegian black metal, and you haven’t listened to three decades of these legends, now is the time for you to correct that mistake.
Purveyors and legends of Norwegian Viking black metal are back with new full length opus consisting of seven songs. As you might have listened on last two EP-s, they continue with their path where they left off with last full length ‘Utgard’ but I can say that for me this new one is better than the last full length opus. More epic, more melodic, with more interplay between screaming black metal vocals and clean vocal lines which touch your heart and yourself to your bones. There is brutality on this album like harsh and strong ‘Congelia’, but also there are gentle melodic atmospheric song parts like excellent ‘Forest Dweller’ which is in my personal favorite along with ‘Kingdom’. Of course, Enslaved continue in their prog part besides Viking black metal, so I can also hear some seventies style influenced keyboards in some parts. Speaking of keyboards, they are essential to this opus, because I think that they are even more high in the mix and represent a lion’s share of melodies and main themes involved in song structures. Now, for more than three decades, Enslaved are better than ever, you know what they say, wine is old but is also the best when it is old! Long live Enslaved, long live prog spacy Viking black metal.
Tryglav is back with new full length opus, first in four years, second in all. This project is named after a mountain in Slovenia, also after three headed Slavic deity, but the mountain is a bit differently pronounced. This is an entity from my home country, Croatia, brain spawn of one Boris Behara and it is fantastic. This opus offers seven songs of melodic yet aggressive black metal. When I listen to this opus, it feels like I am in some ruins fort on a dark night at the mountain, with wind blowing in my faces and bones, at the same time being alone, yet not alone. Guitar melodies and work are awesome, creating such melancholy and emotionally filled soundscape combining it with blast beat drums, but also with some more calmer and mid tempo atmospheric parts, though thrash influenced drumming rears its head too. Vocals are screaming, but you can understand most of what is being sung, with lyrics in English language. This opus can easily concur for one of the best melodic black metal releases of the year. My personal favorites: ‘The Plague’, ‘The Vengeance’.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 