SVARTSYN - Wrath Upon the Earth CD
Agonia Records
Genre: Black Metal
Rating: 4/5
The charm of Swedish Black Metal is how militaristic it is compared with the population at large and the nation's peaceful history. Sweden has been neutral in wars as far back as the 1800s. So I always found it hard to understand how a nation that's been playing humanitarian while the rest of Europe was killing each other for over a century could spawn such incredible war centric blackened armies of metal fiends. Yeah sure it's that whole Viking thing from the past which is what fuels this band. SVARTSYN is basically vocalist/guitarist Ornias and whoever he can get to sit in with him as session musicians. Ornias has been doing this since the mid nighties when Black Metal's Second Wave was in full swing. Back in the day he was only doing demos because that was the kvlt thing to do back then. It wasn't until 1998 when he finally capitulated and recorded a proper full length, The True Legend. Since then every two to three years a new SVARTSYN makes it's way out to the faithful. The last one Timeless Reign came out in 2007 on Carnel Records and not only displayed a complete lack of respect for anything post second wave BM but it was also meaner, leaner and thoroughly enjoyable.
Wrath Upon the Earth shows that four years later Ornias is still not willing to tone it down. Musically it sounds like GORGOROTH on steroids with a four armed drummer and Ornias sounding caustic with every bloody throated utterance. After a two minute intro the battle rages into high gear with "Wrath of Leviathan" as guitar and drums are fired at a machine gun's pace. The whole of this release follows at the same pace. "My Mountain" and "Deathsworned" are continuous barrages. The rest is akin to staring into the grim face of your worn torn attacker before he kills you. "Dawn of Triumph" indeed it is for SVARTSYN as well as putting Swedish Black Metal back into the ranks of the never ending war. Between the battle hardened speed on here which is almost death metal/war metal influenced and Ornias' amazing vocals, even your jaded buddy who's ready to buy some hipster crap will like this one. If not then kill him and take the CD yourself.
Label: http://agoniarecords.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/svartsynband
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