text: Oscar Wendt
The 3rd Attempt
Egocidal Path
Dark Essence Records
December 1st, 2017
The 3rd Attempt’s debut album in 2015 has divided fans of Norwegian black metal. Some thought it was a bad continuation of Carpathian Forest legacy, the others have seen it as a fresh replacement and the way forward for Tchort and Blood Pervertor. I definitely belonged to the second group and Born in Thorns was for me one of the coolest albums of 2015. Now, with the turn of the year, The 3rd Attempt is ready to give birth to its second bastard child – Egocidal Path, out on Bergen’s Dark Essence Records.
Hail Blood, Dope and Black’n’Roll!!! – that sounds like a perfect welcoming to the album, immediately defining its new sound and character. The first song is also the longest composition and it sounds quite complex but catchy at the same time. Ødemark’s vocals are very strong and powerful too. Vocals experimentation is always welcome, especially when it works so well. The album continues to serve some interesting riffs throughout. Varied tempo makes it dynamic and interesting and the general production doesn’t leave a lot to be desired.
In spite of some complexity, Egocidal Path is generally not ‘overdesigned‘ and ‘embellished‘ with any unnecessary nuances. All that is new to the band is neatly blended into the whole concept, but also constitutes a parallel to the first release. It’s very aggressive and I think that it’s more powerful and brutal than Born in Thorns. Aggression doesn’t only come with fast songs, it also comes hidden in some truthfully played riffs that sound brutally honest and real.
Egocide’s final section features a bone crushing slow and heavy riff that, I must say, is one of my favourite on the entire album. The 3rd Attempt’s latest product doesn’t lack, however, any blasting passages at all – just play I’ll Do It Now and you’ll find out. Vicious blow combined with some groovy rhythms and varied vocals makes it a great live track, I think.
Black Metal Alchemist is one of those songs with the chorus that gets stuck in your head. Something like Nekrogrammaton from the first release. The artwork is also worth itemizing. Done by a Brazilian artist, Rafael Tavares, it visualizes Egocidal Path meaning and captures The 3rd Attempt’s character very well. Fantastic ending of the album with The Oath feature some semi-clean vocals which work perfectly and are a great ‘here and there‘ addition to Egocidal Path.
Egocidal Path is, I think, a big step forward for The 3rd Attempt, proving that they treat the band very seriously and want to develop it further. It has still got some Carpathian Forest feel to it, but Egocidal Path is a much more independent release than its predecessor, Born in Thorns. The album is profound, both in music and meaning which is definitely something I appreciate a lot. If this is the way forward for The 3rd Attempt, it’s a big fat yes as far as I’m concerned!
The 3rd Attempt
Dark Essence Records
THE GOAT TAVERN 