The debut album from solo Black Metal project ENEVELDE is here, formed by the mastermind vocalist B. Kråbøl of Misotheist, this is surely going to be a splendid and grandiose recording of malevolent Black Metal. Out via Terratur Possessions on May 29th.
Searing guitars and primal drums bring in an icy melody, filled with despair and a truly chilling sense of something ferocious to come. Convulsing with dissonance, the instrumentals warp to be met by vicious vocals, a simplistic but rivetingly dark beginning to the record. Hammering onwards with blastbeats and tremolo riffs, the momentum of the album grows with a natural liveliness, distorted and mystical. Monoliths of visceral soundscapes, piercing and obliterating with a gorgeously balanced and pristinely aggressive nature spew forth with true morbidity.
Amongst these four pieces we see the light and the dark with almost tranquil atmospheric melodies, met by destructive sections that are seemingly unleashed into the mix, blending serenity and savagery in splendid fashion. There is something unnerving about the structuring of the songs which feels definitively volatile, something I always admire in Black Metal. Aside from macabre blasting, tremolo riff butchery we also see plenty of more mellow, ritualistic atmospherics which add a fantastic dynamic to the album with an almost tribal feeling.
Cataclysmic darkness and vast soundscapes continue to swirl in the murky vein that we started off with. Calling the abyss, we see some utterly jaw-dropping songwriting with the harmonious guitars and primitive drums allowing a sparse yet intricate layering of sounds to be created, utilising the vocals as yet another profoundly powerful piece of a greater vision. Relinquishing any sense of predictability, the ability of Enevelde to use such melody and melancholy in the sound while feeling so aggressive is wonderful and really pays off with a diverse and memorable sound that lingers throughout and indeed after the record. This is a feat of impeccable songwriting.
Melancholic yet relentless, Enevelde have a contagiously unique approach to Black Metal that is certainly astonishing and rather beautiful. This record is a haunting monolith of despair while vanquishing any idea of being tame with fierce assaults. Certainly a magnificent debut for this project and a brilliant showcasing of B. Kråbøl’s ideas. Thankfully it is a concise piece with the four tracks pulling in at just under forty minutes which never lets anything drag on or become dull, giving a visceral speed to these masterful conjurations. Contemporary Black Metal that is still rooted in tradition, this is a stunning balance. -8.5/10
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