I’ve just been listening to an Iblis Manifestations podcast (Shayan from Trivax’s podcast, shout out for him) where Shayan and Cult Never Dies boss Dayal Patterson and the particular segment concerning what is black metal and what the attitude of the bands themselves has to say in whether the band is really of the genre or just playing it. Confused? Well go and listen to it. Relevance? Tangential but I often get black metal albums where I wonder about what it means to the musicians.
Helfro are for once I feel better served by the PR sheet who unlike Metal Archives call them blackened death metal. Yep it’s hair splitting time but, from the opening of the first track ‘Jarteikn’ of these Icelanders this is thundering death metal with those black metal guitar runs kind of curling around the edge of the relentless death metal drumming and grinding riffs. It’s an OK song. It does little to grab me by the balls or by the soul but does a fair job of punching me in the face, so there’s that.
Now I’m going to have to come clean here: Not my favourite genre. Too often blackened dm tends to use the basis of too technical death metal which removes the wild, chaotic spirit of the black metal. For me. But (no spoilers) my favourite album of this years is indeed black/death. So I’m open minded. I hope.
The problem is that by the time the second track ‘Flarad Fraedi’ is over (apologies, can’t find the proper font) I’m pretty much sure what I’m getting for the next half hour. Relentless, hyper fast kick drums, punishing technical death metal riffs and the bursts of black metal infiltration in some keyboards and guitar runs which are there to try and build the ominous atmosphere. Except for me they simply don’t. The basis for this is control, for my ears. Control, technical expertise, musicianship all of which they have in spades and I can see why they got signed.
But to look back at that first tangential point: It is one of those albums where I want to know what the musicians hear in this that I don’t and do they identify as black metal or death metal? Is it important to them, or even relevant, which pigeonhole idiots like me want to put them in? I feel a sense of determination in this genuinely classy music but the emotion that must be in there is clearly on a wavelength that my soul flits over and I have no idea of what their intent is here.
So what I get is thirty five minutes (great length btw) of death metal played with real skill that simply doesn’t hold me at all, replay after replay the same. Whereas I suspect the band poured their heart and soul into it.
It’s kind of the shitty thing about reviewing. You can’t like everything. But this is that horrible area where I don’t even dislike it. It is what it is and it keeps me entirely on the outside with not one song standing out or grabbing me. It is sad, but there it is.
So on a positive note to end. No it is not for me and if you have the same kind of feelings to this style then maybe just swerve it. But if technical, very well played blackened death is your bag you really must give these Icelanders a good listen. I doubt you will regret it. I wish them a positive future.
(5/10 Gizmo)
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