Here Shaam Larein go round sticking knives into the world, which is how “Sticka en kniv i världen” translates. It’s a world of mystery, certainly stylistically as this “Goth-tinged doom rock band” promises nocturnal post-punk atmospheres and avant-garde metal.

Spooky discordant guitar work leads us in. A dark and sombre rhythm takes over. The vocalist, named Shaam Larein, enhances proceedings with her moody and sinister delivery. The air is filled with menace. The atmosphere intensifies. This, the title song, is dreamily powerful. There were shades of Madder Mortem about this, I thought. As the drums beat tribally, Ms Larein puts in her gothic best on the powerful and scary “Flesh of Gold”. This is very theatrical and artistic in its nature, as if pictures are being painted with shades and dark strokes. The drama continues with the ever so moody “Beware the Duchess”. The background guitar is suggestive. As bats flutter and dark scenes are being depicted, the music matches the mood. It is strong, heavy and disquieting to the point where it deliberately goes off the rails while pumping with power and menace.

“I Have No Face” is very much from the repertoire of Madder Mortem. “Murderer” was never going to be fun, and what we seem to be getting is a slow-motion enactment of the stage leading up to it. The instrumentals strike up a sombre tune. Ms Larein shows her vocal versatility. It’s like being witness to the knife going in. After vividly going through the mind of a murder, “Caress My Thoughts” sounds on paper to be a bit softer, but the hard opening beat tells us otherwise. Ms Larein’s unusually dreamy voice matches the off-beat guitar work, resulting in another psychological nightmare, marked with hostility and threatening tones. If anyone thought that “Caress My Thoughts” might be soft, they would be mistaken. A haunting drone then accompanies an equally haunting and sinister vocal performance. The subject is “Leave Me Here to Die”. The drum provides a melodic beat while the ever shadowy vocals provide a dark and misty quality – it’s a short piece but it’s big on impact. There was never any danger of us getting off lightly and sure enough the closing song “Massacre” pounds us with its heavy threat.

“Sticka en kniv i världen” is far from lightweight but the confrontational instrumental patterns and the nightmarishly dreamy vocal range make it atmospheric and unusual. Gothic, dark and heavy, but with a floating quality about it, this is an interesting album.

(7.5/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://www.facebook.com/shaamlarein

https://shaamlarein.bandcamp.com/album/sticka-en-kniv-i-v-rlden