Norse mythology and Swedish black metal combine with the fourth album from these pagan brigands. Having been burning the Thursian Flame since 2010 they have gained presence and appreciation for their past work and last album RÖK certainly created an impression when reviewed on these pages. One thing that stands out from this is that the album left the writer feeling “exhausted” and listening to Loka Mær I can completely understand this. Even with this album being a short 25-minutes long it is certainly a devastating listening experience that leaves you feeling like you have been dragged through a hedge backwards. It’s on the whole war-manlike, unrelenting and downright vicious.
Intro Myrkriða (apparently a night hag or troll woman) is the calmness before the storm. It’s marked out by distinctly Pagan sounding tribal drumming and chants before we storm into the band’s signature track ‘Mara’ on the wings of a hefty roar. Drums roll, guitars pound and force is certainly a motivating factor. Vocalist Vindsval has a throaty elongated roar, yapping and snarling away with plenty of bloodthirst and the overall effect that this exudes is the battlefield stench of picked carrion. The beast inside man is evoked over the title track but there is a melodious aspect about this transformation illustrated by a weaving guitar line rendered through the carnage. Foot is occasionally taken off the pedal, so to speak and there are some slower parts to things as the malignant yells form over the backdrop.
We could not have an album like this really without the rabid bite of the ‘Wolf’ which is welcomed in by some atmospheric guitar work. Once unleashed into the pen though we have utter devastation as it tears prey limb from limb, the vocal screams at their most destructive and harrowing form. Hurtling to oblivion as we careen towards windswept finale ‘Hel’ the band who proclaim to play ‘Black Metal To Destroy The World’ leave you in no doubt that they have achieved just that and their invitation to Ragnarök is guaranteed.
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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