ALBUM REVIEW: Slegest – Introvert

Here I review the new album from Norwegian Blackened Doom Metallers SLEGEST! The album is out today on Dark Essence Records. This band I am familiar with from having seen a couple of times and they are definitely one to keep an eye on!

1 Blodets Varme Gjennom Meg kicks right in with upbeat yet melancholic music. The bleak vibe contradicting the more punk drums is a really cool mix that really allows the vocals to break through. This is some very unique sounding Black Metal that still keep the noticeable Norwegian sound and adds Doom Metal into the mix among some really nice Rock n Roll riffs. This first track was actually really joyful to listen to and a great opening piece.
2 Undergangens Tankesmed fires in with more “Black n Roll” styled riffs, this time accompanied by stunning lead melodies and a continuation on the more positive vibes of the previous track. The blistering attack of the song is just perfect for headbanging along to and packed with groove and some really cool punk vibes once more. This track really fun, something I don’t think many Black Metal bands aspire to be, but Slegest absolutely kill it. Wonderfully done!
3 Maler Lys I Mørketid comes in with more sludgy riffs and a much less upbeat rhythm this time. The groove is unmistakable and the track is really incredibly written. Soon things pick up once more though, with fantastic riffs and killer drum fills too. The grim vocals really nicely juxtapose the pretty cheerful sounding instrumentals, a really interesting mix. The production is remarkable good for the genre too and the lead work is simplistic yet really catchy. Another awesome song!
4 Da Brenne I Glåsi follows up with some almost Hair Metal feels to the opening riffs, something I did not expect at all, but Slegest are evidently a band who are skilful at creating something new and strange. The fearsomely esoteric style of the band is like no other, this song has such a dismally cold feel to it for example, but it is likeable and easy to enjoy. Some absolutely fantastic and atmospheric songwriting utilised to its full extent on this one. Excellent.
5 I Den Sanne Flamme marches in with more 80s inspired Extreme Metal that is so catchy yet still manages to kick your teeth in with the more harsher overtones. There is plenty of nuance to Slegest and I think it is best captured on this, which I believe to be their 3rd full length album. Anthemic Black Metal is not a phrase one hears often, especially outside of the Symphonic subgenre, but I think it is certainly apt to describe songs like this! The tremolo soaked guitars sounded really epic too! Once more, brilliant work.
6 Dødskyss comes in with waves of bleaker riffs, creating a huge soundscape that is followed by melodic and intricate picking, graceful drums and a tight punch that really hits hard. The cascading brilliance of the song is genuinely fantastic to listen to and really does grow into something gorgeously written and beautifully played that is as heartfelt as it is damn catchy. There is some pristinely melodic touches to this track that just elevates it into a lighthearted and mesmerising plane of existence, accentuated even further by the soulfully played guitar solo. Another absolutely glorious piece!
7 Leitar chugs into fruition with stampeding riffs and drums that feel crushingly heavy before descending into madness and much more ambient soundscapes. The raw edge of the vocals is gruesomely brilliant over the more pulsating instrumentals that are just full of rhythm and life. The choruses in this piece are, once again, anthemic from the off. With the end of the album coming into sight, this was a regardlessly punchy track filled with livelihood and groove.
8 Den Onde Sirkel drives things home as it is, sadly, the final track of the album. Starting out with some really nice old school riffs, standing alone things build up gloriously to a slower tempo yet equally exhilarating and driven piece of Black n Roll mania. The hugely varied approach to the songwriting, that I must add flows beautifully, makes this album an exciting listen that is unpredictable and could take any turn at any given moment. This song is no different in that respect. A groovy, bluesy, sleazy piece of music that closes the album in absolutely style. Great work!

If you are in need of some sludgy, upbeat and really interesting Black Metal that does not sound recycled in any way, this album needs to be listened to. Some fascinating and unique material from Slegest! Some totally epic 80s vibes but put into the rhetoric of Black Metal, something I think no other band has balanced so extravagantly and succeeded. -8/10