There is certainly something elite about this line-up as it contains members of So Much For Nothing, Svarttjern and Urgehal in its ranks. It has been some time since last 2008 album ‘Bestial Supremacy’ although a couple of EP’s have shown that the band are still active. Doomsday Elite strikes as a call to arms, a spiked gauntlet in the face to anyone thinking that the band were no more and its genocide-driven black fervour has eight new hymns on it, which really take no prisoners at all.
As the title track batters in there is nothing subtle about things as everything is in your face at once before a slower groove moderates the pace. Erik Unsgaard so impressive a vocalist on So Much For Nothing album ‘Livsgnist’ puts his vocal stamp of authority over things and gurgles and rasps as the melody spirals around. Listening behind the layers you may think your ears are playing up but no the band have some tricks up their sleeve and that is definitely what sounds like a snake-charming piped sound beneath the guitars, most odd! The neck cracking pace of ‘I utakt med Gud’ gallops along sounding fearsome in its own language and a moody part with depressive keys and sinister spoken words adds an atmospheric and ghostly shroud over it all. It sounds like ‘God Is Dead’ is being hollered out on ‘No Loose Ends,’ the strumming attack is pretty relentless and all that is missing is an explosion but no worry as one reeking of fire and brimstone suddenly cracks out the speakers as the album blusters into longest track ‘Inside A Haunted Chapel.’ This chapel is haunted by some retro sounding keyboards occasionally floating like a strange spectre through its corridors. The enthusiasm of the band also shines through with “go” and “one more time” yelled out with panache as they fire out another flailing riff.
Balancing extremity and atmosphere well, passages go from full on and in the face to sinister and ethereal. Solemn Disorder Til Human Extinction’ is a prime example as at its most violent it really exterminates with precise brutality but the hellfire sermon winds down in looping sorrowful and mesmerising riffs hinting strongly of the demise of all mankind. As for the skewed riffs and nasty rabid cackles on ‘Cosmic Intellect’ it’s as though some alien race has played a game and resurrected all the dead to get up and roam the earth as it smoulders in ashes.
This has taken a fair few listens and it’s certainly a formidable slice of Svart Norsk Metal and it manages to keep interest by not being too one dimensional due to pulling rabbits out of hats and some of the aforementioned tricks out of its sleeve. Apparently the band are now solidified enough for the prospect of touring which could be interesting if they get opening support on some tours as have Svarttjern soon to head out on the heady line-up of Behemoth, Cradle Of Filth, In Solitude and Inquisition. Still perhaps they may end up playing some more sensible low key shows and we won’t have to leave after the first couple of bands. Till this happens Doomsday Elite will do just nicely.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
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