Orkan
Livlaus
Dark Essence Records
September 11th, 2015
Orkan was spawned in 2008 as an offspring of Taake and Byfrost musicians and, having released their debut album in 2012, is now preparing to discharge their second full-length opus – Livlaus. Including varied aesthetics, this Bergen-based group is certainly a strong player on the scene and Livlaus, in spite of its title, is a living proof for such statement.
The first impression of the album makes me think that it is brilliant live material. And this is why I feel very excited about Orkan supporting Taake with The 3rd Attempt this October in London. The thrash metal influences are indisputable and they nicely blend with the classic Norwegian black metal conception. From the very beginning, Livlaus seems to be very dynamic and encouraging with some good blasts accompanied by complex guitar sections.
Some tracks, for example Livlaus del 1: Evig neatly build up the suspense which proves that they will definitely do well once played live. Featuring some catchy riffs with interesting drumming Orkan will certainly provide the great energy coming from the stage.
Also, excellent vocals add a nice touch to this mixture and, taking rather traditional approach, they compose a rigid structure with the general feel of Orkan. In terms of vocals it must be said that the band recruited Hoest of Taake and V’Gandr of Helheim to do the guest singing on two songs. It is always a nice surprise! What is also easy to notice, the band seems to draw some inspiration from Taake as well. Compound and melodic passages in Uforgjengeleg seem to be a perfect reference to the Hoest’s iconic formation.
Strongly supporting the Norwegian metal underground, it is obvious that Orkan is a good representative of the vast Bergen scene. With boring moments limited to a minimum, Livlaus draws the inspiration from the best, but also adding the innovative touch to its character. Personally, I am really excited about seeing the band live which will clearly allow me to verify my opinion about the brilliance of Livlaus.
THE GOAT TAVERN 