ALBUM REVIEW: Vegard – Call From The Forest

Around springtime this year, one UK Black Metal release gained an insane amount of tractions and carved itself a name in the underground with its debut album, I am going to revisit this release for a review, belated as it may be. This is Vegard with “Call From The Forest”, available now via UKEM Records.

The album chimes in on ambience that has a slightly emblazoned folk touch to it, setting a medieval vibe ready for the battle ahead. The first riff drops in with crashing cymbals and a huge wall of melancholy is immediately present, definitely reminiscent of Woods Of Desolation to my ear with that really bitterly emotive touch to the cascading beauty of ambient guitar work and simplistic drumming. There is some really interesting synths on this record that underlay the main focal point which is clearly the drive guitar atmospherics and howled vocals, letting these dungeon-dwelling keys sit in the mix for additional ambience while not becoming obnoxious or detrimental to the bombardment of riffs. Similarly the drums generally retain a much more primitive and back-seat approach that does not stray far from simple beats. The gorgeously sombre guitar work and haunting vocals certainly leaves an impression with such fantastic use of rather minimalist ideas in a totally hypnotic fashion. While there is very little that is particularly unique or groundbreaking, there is a clearly abundant amount of passion from the two musicians involved (whom remain anonymous) that really shines through in the glacial tranquility of their music, offering a bleak incarnation of Black Metal that will chill you to the bone. I really enjoyed the interluding Dungeon Synth tracks that had a huge and gorgeous ambient glow to them, breaking up the monolith of guitars briefly to haunt us with medieval melodies, beautifully done. While the onslaught of aggression is contrasted with mesmerising and indeed relaxing sections, the transcendency is done wonderfully with a fluidity that remains consistent throughout, giving a balanced and well-rounded listen. While many traditionalist Black Metal fans might find this to be just another Atmospheric Black Metal release, I think that this is a very hopeful start to a really exciting and fabulous project that may indeed stick to formula with their sound but do so in a passion-riddled and cathartic manner. What this release lacks in bite, it makes up for in soothing and rich ambient showmanship that will absorb listeners who wish to be taken to a more natural realm of existence. This was an excellent debut, great addition to the UK Black Metal scene and definitely worth a listen with a cascade of captivating beauty emanating throughout. -7.5/10