Fenriz’s ISENGARD is back with a hugely anticipated 3rd album. Recorded back in 89-93 but only now seeing the light of day, this should be something special. Out now via Peaceville Records.
Eerie riffs drone into life with a bellowing reverberation of “Cult Metal” that falls into ambience before hammering drums and scathing riffs punishingly surge forth. The groove of the riffs has that nice doomy feel that suit the vocal wailing beautifully, dialling back the folky side of things for a more full-on Heavy Metal attack. Visceral and haunting passages that feel more in tune with 80s Speed Metal and early Doom Metal take the foreground on this record while still having that almost Celtic sway to the songs. The melodic ferocity of the record belts out pure Metal mania with so much loveable energy from the passionate Fenriz that it is hard not to be taken in by the speeding onslaught of carnage and mystical sounds.
Packed with catchy songwriting that feels like a Norwegian Extreme Metal take on Brocas Helm or Manilla Road, nobody could say that Fenriz’s encyclopaedic love of 80s Metal didn’t shape this album. With a bit of melancholy especially in the lead guitars and vocals, there is a bit more moodiness on this records than the other 2 but it also feels the fiercest. Some may be sad to see the less Viking Metal sounds unfurl but I would argue this is just a marvellous, just in a very esoteric way. For all of the weirdness, there is an anthemic value to most of the songs with their simplistic riffs and beats that will have many headbangers vocally droning along with the savagely eerie chants. Truly a captivating sound, if a very very strange one.
Acid Rock seems to be an influence on this material with some almost psychedelic passages that have a Hawkwind kind of verse appearing a few times between the Blackened Doom oddities. “The Fright” is a perfect example as the trip of grooving riffs and stoner-style hooks bend the norm of Extreme Metal while still delivering a fearsome punch of mighty Metal aggression too. Perhaps the Celtic Frost, Root and Master’s Hammer approach is a bit unhinged for some, but to me these bands represent a lot of the fiery and volatile spirit I love in Heavy Metal, thus this frenzied and spasming opus has a really enjoyable feel that is like a convulsion of passionate mania as rabid as anything sonically heavier while having so much catchiness and unpredictable twists. While it shall probably prove divisive, I certainly sit on the positive side that thinks this is some really killer stuff.
“Vårjevndøgn” is a very eclectic record. Blending the folky Black Metal of Isengard’s other releases with a heavy influx of Doom Metal, Acid Rock and 80s classic Speed Metal touches to up the ante, there is something for everyone here. In just over half an hour, the album feels both concise and yet a lot more expansive than one would expect. Truly a weird and magnificent piece of Fenriz’s musical history and progression that I deem certainly valuable and worthwhile. -8/10
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