I remember this Swedish duo’s debut self-titled album of 2013 which followed on from a slew of demos released from the very start of the Millennium. Now another decade later, which in the meantime saw them apparently release a second album ‘Scythe And Sceptre’ in 2013, they are back with full-length number three. Whilst some bands evolve and take other paths, musician and vocalist J.M. (ex of Lifelover and IXXI) and J.L have stuck rigidly to the rules, roots and doctrines of early black metal keeping things true, raw and ugly. Don’t be put off by thoughts of biscuit tin production here though, tones from guitar are nice and sharp and cut like razors through flesh, making this all suitably savage. With this however we get a romping 33-minute ride through 8 tracks of unbridled and energetic music and more importantly, even if it is not meant to be, it is a damn fun one too.
This is mainly due to the vocals of J.L. which put this on the completely lunatic fringe side of the genre. Whooping, wailing, screaming, gibbering and no doubt foaming at the mouth he (along with some additional help from Isengrim) make it all sound like a ravenous pit full of trolls in full feeding frenzy. Here be monsters indeed. The full moon madness is accompanied by galloping and simplistic riff-work which is catchy as hell and gets right in your head. Songs such as ‘Past The Veil’ have a touch of medieval darkness about them in melody and are accompanied by clattering drums and a driving feudal fury which take in elements of the likes of Darkthrone and Satyricon before they started moving the original goalposts of the genre into new realms. The scabby and rotting approach here may be delivered without any particular frills but it is this that endears the listener to it and it would seem by the amount I have been playing this, gives it an addictive quality.
The caterwauling clamour of the vocals may well be grim but they can’t help making you grin and gurn as you get caught up in their enthusiastic derangement. Troll metal and the likes of travels through Swedish woods with Shamaatae of Arckanum may well be in the back of your mind listening to them but it’s obscure and equally defunct band Necroplasma who our deranged duo pay tribute to with a cover of ‘The Cold of the Uncaring Moon.’ And if you think Monstraat sound primitive give yourself a listen to the original demo of the track from 1999.
Spewing and gargling throughout the performance and dragging us headlong through prickly thickets we get to closer ‘Det djup jag ej fått nå’ which apparently translates to ‘The depth I haven’t been able to reach.’ I guess it’s the woods as well as the past they have found themselves stuck in and I’m glad they have as ‘Death Upon His Bell’ is the sort of album that is likely to remind you why you were attracted to black metal in the first place. Gloriously retroactive, this is an album well worth checking out.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
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