I have learnt from this expedition into Norwegian atmospheric black metal that Svadilfare is the name of a powerful horse in Norse mythology. “Makt til Uskyld” (Power of Innocence) certainly has a kick and is powerful. It’s interesting too.
After a dark and atmospheric opening which highlights the band’s instrumental abilities, there’s a track and a half of fiery and pungent black metal. “Fem Feite Faar” has more than a tinge of Immortal about it. The drum beats ominously while the blazing and insistent guitar work has an old school fire and aggression. The despairingly growling vocals sound like a mixture of disease and devastation. Then there’s a change, as “Fossefall” (Waterfalls) is a luxuriously dark instrumental piece. It is not just an instrumental though, it rises majestically. Then the prolonged scream which signals the start of the title track takes us in another direction. It’s expansive and moody black metal with the cold feel of winds sweeping across the plains and epically melancholic touches. “Makt til Uskyld” reminded me strongly in style of our own magnificent Fen, but in a Norwegian setting and culture. There is an utterly sublime and spooky acoustic passage to close it. So there’s only one way to follow this up … an utterly uncompromising thrashing black metal piece of nastiness called “Naiv” (Naïve). Well, it’s certainly not complex. There really are no rules here other than the loose framework of black metal ambiance. I preferred “Svik” (Betrayal) to “Naiv”. It’s another black metal nightmare, but the sound of the guitar sliding under the overt and raw malevolence raises the impressive to the magnificent. “Svik” also has the oddest end. I wasn’t sure whether the band members were upholding a folk tradition or were just drunk but either way, it’s ok. “Tordenskrall” follows the loose thread with another burning and angst-ridden black metal number, slowing down for a while without losing its ghastliness or intensity before speeding up anarchically. “Blodtårer” (Tears of Blood) ends the murderous feast in typically old-school and eccentric style. A discordant chorus interrupts the ultra black metal riot that’s going on out there. Yet like all of it there’s a blazing guitar line that keeps it all together as the drummer beats manically and the vocalist spits venom.
As the first half of this album developed, I was expecting something atmospheric and expansive but it’s as if Svadilfare had had enough of all this and followed an urge to put out blazing, old-school black metal. Within it there’s always something strange and innovative. “Makt til Uskyld” follows a certain tradition, but Svadilfare show they have the creativity and originality of thought to make it interesting. This is their second album release. They seem to be playing with ideas here. This is good, but I sense there could be something mind-blowing round the corner from them in the future.
(7/10 Andrew Doherty)
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