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djevel dodssanger
Artist: Djevel
Title: Dødssanger
Genre: Black Metal
Release Date: 27th June 2011
Label: Aftermath Music


Album Review

For those who miss the cold, icy, and grim days of 90s black metal, prepare for some nostalgia! DJEVEL is a Norwegian band formed by members of KVELERTAK and NETTLECARRIER, both black metal bands as well. DJEVEL is very similar along the lines of bands like KHOLD, DARKTHRONE, and SATYRICON in the sense that they can be a tremolo-picking fury but also very rhythmic as well. ‘Dødssanger’ comes off as a strong debut album, full of harsh music with a few soft moments. Tracks like ‘Dakvinnenbrant’ just groove right along with a mix of harsh screams, clouded whispers, and low chants which help add a bit of mystical qualities to them. Overall, the production isn’t the greatest - think ‘Goatlord’ by DARKTHRONE - but at least it isn’t completely muddled in distortion like a XASTHUR or SUNN O))) album might be. ‘Djevelheim’ is one of the heavier tracks on the album because it is a bit faster and doesn’t feature as much of a slow rhythm as the other tracks, but mixed within are a lot of melodic guitar parts amongst all the tremolo picking. Like so many other tracks, the music will shift from rhythmic chugs to a sudden storm of tremolo pickings and back again… as much of the black metal during the 90s was performed.

Some of the longer tracks like ‘Mørkefødt’ and ‘Paktensendeisatanseie’ are very epic, but feel more like instrumentals rather than the typical black metal songs because they just feature lots of lengthy musical sections versus vocal work. There already are a few instrumental pieces such as the brief ‘Djevelslatt’, but tracks like these are just guitars riffing away in a fashion that makes it feel like a demo session run. The longer tracks try to go for more of a symposium. ‘Mørkefødt’ is fast like the other tracks - especially when it comes to the drumming - but even here the riffs can tend to sound cold and mournful. ‘Paktensendeisatanseie’ is the longest track on the album (about 9 minutes) and goes a lot more in the slower, grim vein of black metal along the lines of the lengthier works of SATYRICON like ‘Black Laval’ or ‘To The Mountains’. The mix of harsh and clean vocals works well to get that semi-folk sound mixed in with the black metal without sacrificing any of the dark and evil tone of the music.

For a debut, this album is well constructed by not being extremely repetitive while retaining that old-school feel that isn’t too harsh but still frosty. Since this album has been approved by artists such as Fenriz of the legendary DARKTRHONE, DJEVEL has its support as being called one of the upcoming better black metal bands of the present that represent the past. For those that want to ignore the overly cheesy gothic and industrial black metal parts and just want simple yet efficient cold black metal, then ‘Dødssanger’ is a great choice.


Tracklist

01. Ingen Vei Tilbake - 1:50
02. Djevelheim - 5:01
03. Mørkefødt - 7:28
04. Dakvinnenbrant - 6:35
05. Djevelslatt - 1:30
06. Paakallelsen - 6:52
07. Vi Malte Verden I Sort - 8:09
08. Paktensendeisatanseie - 9:41


Line-up

Mannevond - Bass
Erlend Hjelvik - Grim vocals
Trond Ciekals - Guitars, clean vocals, chants, composing, lyrics


Website

http://www.myspace.com/djevelmakt


Cover Picture

djevel dodssanger


Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10


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