Worm Gear

Germany’s Fynrask isn’t a band on the lips of many so called black metal followers, and it is a shame, for this one manned project unleashes some of the most vibrantly dismal hymns I have heard in some time. Having heard and enjoyed Fyrnd’s debut full-length, Bluostar, due to the impressive level of layering and vision that debut presented, I am a bit blown away at the level of depth/evolution that has risen on Eldir Nótt. We all know that bands tend to strike with their most hungry material early on as that debut release has had the majority of time invested in creatively sculpting the material into something worthy of release. The gap between albums once a project is established tends to produce hurried or rehashed results in a lot of cases, making even a good band lose their spark as they struggle to keep up with demand, or contractual obligations. Of course this is a generalization and not all bands fall victim to this. Fyrnask have simply buried the odds here with a full albums worth of nightmarish and theatrical blackness that burrows into your mind, somehow reversing time to make 50 minutes dissolve in an instant. I was quite surprised at how quickly it all slipped by as I immediately became submerged in the journey that is Eldir Nótt.
The striking tone of this album centers upon a static charged sounding guitar tone that roils in a cavernous storm of dissonant riffs that infect the mind with chilling atmosphere in spite of the harsh energy ripping from its core. This is the driving force that is further embellished with non metal/vision building segments of sound and music as found on the amazing Samas Stigr where the ending of the track gives way to militaristic keys/piano, a hammer dulcimer (??) and soothing chants that play out like a procession from another dimension. The results are soothing if not a bit unsettling and such a flair for the dramatic becomes an integral part of many of the tracks and the overall atmosphere of this entire album. Vocally, Fyrnd’s attack writhes in the disembodied style of harsh/piercing screams from a forgotten spirit, made even more mystical by the blankets of reverb soaking the sound spectrum with misery and lyrical decay. From penetrating levels of dense black metal abandon, to quieter segments of music where distortion is replaced by clean guitars and subtle traditional instrumentation as witnessed on Siaidha, Fyrnd builds up and strips away to heighten impact for what translates as a very emotional and purely creative listening experience.
Eldir Nótt could very easily be one of those albums for the ages that people keep going back to and revere right along side such classics as In the Nightside Eclipse. A bold statement I know, but the level of musical development and transcendence through world building visions is operating at a superior level rarely touched upon by black metal music at large. Engaging. Inspired. Endlessly frightening. -Marty
Temple of Torturous

~ by martyworm on July 31, 2013.

Posted in ALL REVIEWS, F-reviews
Tags: Black Metal, Bluostar, Eldir Nótt, Fyrnask, Temple of Trorturous