ALBUM REVIEW: Marduk, "Viktoria"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 22/06/2018

Label: Century Media Records

Black metal continues to be one of the most divisive and politically charged of metal's sub genre's, but there is also fantastic music to be found from the genre's biggest and best players. Marduk are amongst the elite.

“Viktoria” CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Werwolf

02. June 44
03. Equestrian Bloodlust
04. Tiger I
05. Narva
06. The Last Fallen
07. Viktoria
08. The Devil's Song
09. Silent Night

The Review:

Sweden's premier WW2 obsessed black metallers are back with a vicious counter attack against the controversy that the band have faced in recent years. A more underground proposition than Watain, Marduk has always been amongst the best in their chosen genre. Opener “Werwolf” is truly venomous and makes use of an extremely well suited production. As I am always at great pains to point out, I am no expert on the world of black metal (or anything, for that matter!) but I know what I like and this is one such record.

Nine tracks of 3-4 minutes each; varied in tempo and approach is what you get. I think this even outstrips the fantastic “Frontschwein” of a couple of years back; it's feral and exciting stuff. This is how lack metal is supposed to sound: raw, uncompromising and very, very cold.

If you are a fan of Marduk, much like any band, you probably have your favourite album (“Panzer Division Marduk” seems to always feature on such lists- as it does for me), but this one may well be up there for old and newer fans alike. It's dramatic- hear “Equestrian Bloodlust” for proof- not afraid to slow down when necessary and offers up some seriously impenetrable blast sections as well. As the best black metal often does, it also retains an almost punk like approach to the writing and the sound; rough and ready (but not “Transylvanian Hunger” rough!) and features some interesting stops and starts via slow cymbal counts- a cool trick.

Picking out highlights is tough, as the quality is uniformly high, but if you want an example of where Marduk are at this time around, then try out “The Last Fallen” or the title track- both are reliably vicious, albeit in different ways.

If you like black metal of a certain type (Scandinavian, classic, trve etc) then this is absolutely a record to hear and own. If you have ever liked what Marduk did in the past, you'll like this. If you are more into modern post-black metal... leave the hall. Black metal continues to be one of the most divisive and politically charged of metal's sub genre's, but there is also fantastic music to be found from the genre's biggest and best players. Marduk are amongst the elite.

“Viktoria” is available here



Band info: facebook