The fourth studio album from Swedish Melodic Black/Death Metal band Vananidr sees a continuation of their super-prolific release rate (A full length album almost every year so far since their 2018 inception) and also sees an end to the bands working relationship with label Purity Through Fire (At least for now) as they have gone in a new direction, fellow Swedes Black Lion Records. One element that has remained the same is the Stockholm groups use of bleak coloured atmospheric landscape album art, and their new cover art is impressive and maybe their bleakest yet!
Opening track ‘Dominion’ sounds like a furious rampaging beast. Ice cold guitar leads grind forwards to the accompaniment of grandiose bombastic drum tones and scorching powerful vocals, all whilst sounding like Vananidr recorded in the vast high ceilinged halls of Valhalla. ‘Awake’ opens to a dark sinister melody but soon forges ahead with more of the same bass fuelled pummelling, though as the track expands a traditional Black Metal sound breaks through, sparser bass tones and frost covered guitar leads propelled forward by blast-beats which occasionally make way for more intensive bouts of chunky double kick heaviness. The vocal work for this track is especially diabolical and they soar out of the gloom with a particular level of malice, whilst the melodic guitar tones that slowly see the track out are a great contrast to the bands usual aggressive tones.
I’m always a fan of good bass play and the dual guitar/bass lead into ‘The Watcher’ is a calming moment before Vananidr hit into a methodically paced and seriously intense sounding and atmospheric track that bridges the gap between Black and Death Metal superbly, whilst title track ‘Beneath the Mold’, the longest of the album at just over ten minutes once more increases the pace and also has an Arctic wind type sound that you can almost see blowing through the landscape on the artwork. That being said, this is the track that also sees the band open the taps a little and let some real groove and rhythm into the albums sound, just a touch before the usual wintry barbarity once more kicks in. A special mention also the piano interlude that plays out in a most sombre fashion whilst ravens circle overhead.
The album begins to wind down with ‘Dressed in Pain’ yet loses none of its potency nor its gruelling melodic flourishes during this mid-tempo colossus, whilst the finale comes in the form of ‘Sea of Lies’ ends on a flourish of ice tipped guitar leads that along with an energetic last push from behind the kit produce and maelstrom of ice tipped atmospheric sounds, proving if proof was needed that to be atmospheric doesn’t mean to lose your bite, a lesson this album teaches throughout.
(7.5/10 Marksson)
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