Dutch seems to be one of those languages that works with black metal, and here come Hellevarder, itself meaning Hell Fare with an example of it. De Nevel van Afgunst (The Mist of Envy) is the band’s album release, following a split album and other bits and pieces.
“Je Bent Niks Waard” (You Are Worth Nothing), which starts proceedings, is filthy, hangman type of stuff. The sound is utterly raw and old school. It sounds underproduced with few clues that this is the 21st century. The raucous vocalist sounds to have a throat complaint. The drummer hammers away in an unsophisticated manner. Yet in between the contemptuous raw sewage, there is a gnawing pattern which belies the naivety. After the dirty and disconcerting “Donder Dwalen”, “Uit Het Vuur Getrokken” (Drawn out of the Fire) continues the warmongering menace. The ambience with the unrelentingly grey wall of noise is one of hopelessness and despair. The world doesn’t get any brighter with the driving and battering and suffering of the title track. It does have a nice pace, albeit it’s deliberately off beam. Comfort zones are not what Hellevaerder do.
Ah light at last … well “Nieuw Licht” suggests that things might have brightened up, but oh no. This is as grim and penetrating as ever. It’s relentless and points towards a land without hope or sunshine. Well, there’s no illusion about the next one “Gemarteld en Verdronken” (Tortured and Drowned), nor the final piece “Vergeten – verloren” (Forgotten – Lost). I just felt that by this stage there was no more to say. Impressively persistent, Heelevaerder seem to have dug themselves into a corner as each track fires its way through the same grey mists in this irrepressibly harsh and hostile scene of devastation. To their credit, the last track rises to a climax of pathos before drifting off and allowing to reflect on its grim world.
While monochrome In some ways, and I guess deliberately so, I found this album honest and authentic. More subtle instrumentally than it might appear and atmospheric to a point, “De Nevel van Afgunst” is an album without frills, and I like that.
(7/10 Andrew Doherty)
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