Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 27/1/2014
Label : Indie Recordings
Djevelmakt, album track listing :
1. Mylder 06:37
2. Kujon 07:10
3. Blod, Eder og Galle 06:24
4. Swarm Norvegicus 05:37
5. Fortapelse 04:49
6. De Dødes Fane 05:48
7. Svarte Sjelers Salme 03:37
8. Our Hounds, Our Legion 07:40
Bio :
2014 marks 20 years existence for Kampfar, and
with it comes Djevelmakt, an album marking a leap forward in the band's
steadfast career.
Where 2011's Mare represented a journey into
the world of the witches, past and present, Djevelmakt conceptually digs deeper into the muck and bile of the
underworlds and brings to light a world where rats feed on the blackest souls
and where false choirs have no power.
The Band :
Dolk | Vocals
Ole | Guitar and keys
Jon | Bass
Ask Ty
| Drums and vocals
Review :
Norwegian
black metal veterans Kampfar follow up 2011’s ‘Mare’ with latest release
‘Djevelmakt’ courtesy of Indie Recordings. With a career spanning 20 years it’s
safe to say these chaps know what they are doing, their portrayal of black metal
inspired by pagan and folklore themes creates a dynamic and mesmerising listen.
Despite being predominantly written in Norwegian the deep dark concepts that
‘Djevelmakt’ delves into permeate through the music and become immediately
decipherable.
Opening track
Mylder begins with an unnerving
piano intro before the heavy guitars and screams of ‘Helvete!’ forcefully take
over. A sublime track, with an incredibly powerful chorus that even on first
listen is massively memorable. Interjections of folk seamlessly work alongside
the black metal assault, reinforcing the pagan influence as well as breaking up
the brutality of blast beats and relentless riffs.
A menacing
start to Swarm Norvegicus with
haunting synth and discordant low piano notes, becoming darker with Dolk’s
almost satanic like spoken word vocals, for sure one of the darkest tracks on
the album. This album is conceptually about ‘the muck and bile of the
underworld’ this is the track which ultimately epitomizes that concept. The
album maintains a crisp flow throughout, superb drumming from Ask Ty who drives
forward the pummelling momentum, alongside Ole’s ear shattering riffs.
The latter
half of the album proves to be particularly strong; De Dodes Fane is totally unpredictable, veering in directions you
couldn’t possibly foresee, while Svarte
Sjelers Salme showcases the brilliance of Dolk’s fearless black metal snarl
in this short punchy three and a half minute assault. However final track Our Hounds, Our Legions is a cut above
the rest, a solemn acoustic guitar riff eases us in before one hell of a
stompy, distorted riff beats down like the hammer of Thor. The longest track of
the album and yet long enough, Kampfar conclude their album with an absolute
belter.
Being from
Norway and playing black metal inevitably produces certain expectations,
Kampfar meet if not exceed that expectation with ‘Djevelmakt’. For a band that
has been active for 20 years its incredible how they still manage to progress
as a band and continue to push those musical boundaries. I’m throwing it out
there, one of the best black metal albums I’ve heard this year.
Words by : Heather Blewett
You can
get it here
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