Some things really are just what they are supposed to be. Regardless of outside pressures they have a direction and an attitude that is so assured in its purpose that notions of trend or just the passage of time are simply….irrelevant. Ymir are a fine case in point. These Finns have been around in one form or another since 1999 but it was only two years back that their debut came out due to time, the world, stuff. But remarkably from the opening this second album just feels like a consistent, unwavering purpose.
They are what they are.
‘Woods Of My Past’ both in title and sound typifies their approach. This is classic nineties style black metal – relentless drumming, great cold riffing, subtle keyboards, glorious howled vocals and effortless tempo changes and turns of speed. It is epic, atmospheric but still raging, raw black metal. Hints of early Emperor maybe. A teeny bit of very early …In The Woods with some spoken words. All topped off with just the perfect production. But just that perfect feel and sense of a place, and maybe a time when black metal was imperious. Even one of the promo pics is unabashed, justifiably unashamed traditional black metal. Night, a snowy landscape, one lone figure wearing black, corpse-paint, black clothing, bullet belt and cloak, holding an axe.
Defiant.
Through this album you travel into a world of night and winter, maybe castles and evil wizards line the way. Maybe demons. Maybe simply your own shadow. This is so honest, so devotional and written and performed to such a high calibre that the music alone has all the armour it needs against the sneering idiots and the ‘only for the irony’ fools. It walks through them like the pallid ghosts they are, unconcerned and not sparing them a glance. They have purpose.
Not a single filler, not one misstep. Ymir, with a couple of ex-Horna guys in their ranks just mentioned to note the musical pedigree here, have created something that genuinely transcends the time it harks back to. It is timeless.
It is simply what it is, and what it is, is epic and enthralling.
(9/10 Gizmo)
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