SPLIT REVIEW: Du Som Er I Helvede

The new label Black Strychnine has made their first step in the underground with a six-way split of underground Danish black metal. Their owner Martin was kind enough to send me this record for review, and I was eager to check it out. Featuring Denial Of God, Strychnos, Nortt, Ligfærd, Heaven’s Damnation and Perdition’s Mire; this promises to showcase the country’s scene in united blasphemy. Each song is an exclusive contribution to the LP, so it’s all material that is unheard, adding to the excitement as the stylus hits the groove…

Ligfærd set things in motion with aural hellfire. The commanding blast-beats and ruthless guitar work enthrones a vicious vocal performance, executed with maximum aggression across the board. Ligfærd has a decidedly nordic feeling to their particular style of black metal, akin to Marduk, Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth and the like. Something that I think will appeal to most fans of the genre, especially around the mid-90s and early 2000s incarnation. A fitting opener of militant blasphemy to start things off with a bang.

Strychnos, the band of the label-owner Martin, is next. Having been very prolific with full lengths in 2022 and 2024 followed by two 7″ EPs in 2025, things are flowing fast from this blackened death machine that dates back to 1998. Blunt force trauma from the gritty riffs adds an abyssal strength to proceedings as ritualistic drums and eerie vocals join the mix with a feeling of later Celtic Frost. The more doomy pacing and haunting atmosphere contrasts the previous piece of music in almost every way yet shares the same evil and devilish vibe and certainly doesn’t lack in blasting ferocity as things progress. Balancing the more gloomy and aggressive moments with an overall chilling execution and powerful musicianship; Strychnos continue to put out high quality extreme metal that stands strong and triumphant.

Closing the a-side we have Heaven’s Damnation and their track “The Ancient Oath” which goes back to a more traditional black metal approach. This time with more melodics and a touch of essence from the Nidrosian scene. A sepulchral atmosphere hangs over this song which has a volcanic volatility and extremely memorable, engaging riffing. The vocals are epic, full of passion and the drumming is relentless. The mean nature of the song really hits hard and keeps you bewitched with each serpentine twist or turn while the core centres around this abyssal melody. Another strong addition to the split, which thus far has been unfaltering as we hit the halfway mark.

Flipping over, the b-side begins with Nortt. Totalling change the atmosphere to one of anguish, longing and solitude. This funereal, doomy and blackened piece takes you into more introspective and despairing territories. Crawling guitars and booming drums are shrouded by ghostly vocals and overall a very melancholy effect is conjured with stunning piano melodies to add to the bleak ambience. This definitely feels like the odd one out as everything else is much more rooted in the black and death metal of the 90s but I think that’s the beauty of a split such as this; it shows the diversity this tiny country called Denmark has to offer. From the days of Mercyful Fate, Witch Cross and Mirage to their explosive contemporary extreme metal scene the small Scandinavian nation has always been a force to be reckoned with musically.

Perdition’s Mire continue the assault as dreary riffs and pummelled drums build the tension back up. Flesh-tearing vocals and groove-laden riffs spring forth with this raw, very 90s feeling that harkens back to the likes of Tsjuder and 1349 yet with this very clanky bass that gives the track more body than the average Norwegian band of that decade. The rawness of this track gives it a very bare-bones and authentic feeling that still holds plenty of power amidst the gritty, frosty and harsh song craft.

As the end draws near, one final epic from Danish black metal legends Denial Of God gives us over twelve minutes of horror and magick with a live recording of their legendary “The Horrors of Satan”, taken from their performance at Black Silesia festival in Poland. Having formed in 1991, these guys are a bit less “contemporary” than most of the others but a name whose consistence and respect in the underground has never faltered. Their barrages of atomic drumming and spine-chilling guitar riffs evoke mystery, horror and evil effortlessly while the vocal incantations further add to this grave-lurking assault. Their live sound is excellent and hearing this takes me back to seeing them in their homeland at Metal Magic festival. Crushing the Polish maniacs in attendance with their unique and ominous brand of blasphemy, this feels the perfect ending to these six pieces. No other band but Denial Of God could close an underground Danish black metal compilation, because they are simply the best and have been running for so long without changing their essence a bit. You can feel the authenticity in this performance as one of their best, most revered songs is flowing from the speakers with none of the conveniences of a studio recording. Absolutely phenomenal.

A superb collection of underground Danish black metal of the highest calibre. Pick up a copy and keep your eyes peeled for more darkness from Black Strychnine Records! This is a perfect way to check out a bunch of Danish bands for those unfamiliar, or a collection of excellent artists for those who are already aware of these wicked bands. Definitely worth picking up, as are Extremely Rotten Productions “Tetralogy of Death” splits which each feature four underground Danish death metal bands. Anyways, I digress, “Du som er i helvede” is a hellish experience indeed and a journey I strongly recommend embarking upon for yourself.