text: Jean Relapse
Nattverd
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Darker Than Black Records
September 30th, 2017
Nattverd is a Norwegian black metal band that seems to have come from nowhere. A first full-length released on Darker Than Black Records, little if no information at all about the band members and all the hype of social media promo.
This recipe, as usual as it is nowadays, can announce a hopeless one-man band among many others. This idea is ruled out from the very first notes of the opening track, Der Tronen Blender, Vender Vi Oss Mot Mørket as the sound is clean and the musicians obviously master their instruments well enough not to fall into the first category. Should I go for the common places of the black metal review?
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Yes, the album is violent and alternates between melodic parts, ambient parts (Stille Som Stein…, Sjelen I Brann) and aggressive parts
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They clearly don’t reject Norwegian’s influences: an Urgehal inspiration can be heard here and there (Der Tronen Blender…, Lucifers Blod) as well as some parts reminiscent of Tsjuder (when it comes to pure aggression, they are a reference anyway).
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It may sound cold, bleak, raw…
This being said, the album is quite varied. As my first point implied, there is a true alternance of black metal approaches. From one song to another, the sound and the touch are recognizable. It is something truly appreciable…
…but! In five or ten years, are we going to recognize them among the flock? (pun intended, sorry).
I wouldn’t be sure. The problem with the album is that it doesn’t take enough liberties and sometimes repeats patterns and an aesthetic that are worn out. When I mentioned the ‘hype of social media promo‘, this is also what I meant to convey. I never trust bands who promote too much in days when minimalism and subtlety are praised (thanks, Mgła). Focus more on the music, develop and attitude and the media will do the rest.
Overall, this first offering is more than acceptable. I know I shouldn’t judge an artistic and a promotional process at the same time, but to me, one is reminiscent of the other. Nattverd is to black metal what a conservatoire is to classical music.
Nattverd
Darker Than Black Records
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