Friday, November 19, 2021

NATTVERD - Vandring review


 

NATTVERD - Vandring

Osmose Productions


Now before I get into this one there needs some explaining. This is the third installment of a trilogy which NATTVERD started back in 2019 with their EP Skuggen. The second part came with 2000's Styggdom full length. So basically it's a package deal but if ya want to start here you would not be wrong. 


For those of you late for the trilogy party, NATTVERD are a black metal act from Norway. Yes it's Bergen, Norway to be exact. Yeah I can just see the excitement in your eyes over that truth bomb. The band has been around for over a decade. But their debut release was the Vi vet gud er en logner full length from 2017. 


Instead of going through the past parts of this trilogy and making comparisons. I'm just going to point out what's decent about this release and the band overall. Then later I'll add some commentary on the trilogy. Musically NATTVERD truly follow in the footsteps of their fore-bearers. The basic template is second wave black metal with all the bells, whistles and generic structures. but then it gets better.


A few times NATTVERD will kick into some black n roll which sounds so fuckin cool. They temper their aggressive blast-beat / tremolo riff action with some fine atmospheric elements as well as sincere melody. If you're familiar with the first two installments of the trilogy then you're thinking they saved the best for last or the band just progressed to a higher plane.


Personally all I can say is that this is the best thing I've heard from NATTVERD. Then again in the grand scheme of black metal 2021 it's not overwhelming. If this band could hear me I'd say no more trilogys. Just take what you do on here with the amazing drumming, the varied vocal style of harsh and satanic frog as well as the cool song melodic yet punishing song structures and advance it to the next level. 


Chances are NATTVERD are already working on that so I can't wait for that one. But as far as this goes if you've followed the trilogy from Skuggen onward then you'll like this. My thinking is that Osmose Productions will eventually release the trilogy as a box set. If you're gonna wait for that then never forget NATTVERD.


https://www.osmoseproductions.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/vandring


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