TULUS - Fandens kall review

 

TULUS - Fandens kall

Soulseller Records

So the truth is that I came in late to the music of TULUS. Now I did know about em but never picked up anything by em. I am a fan of the band member's other acts aka: KHOLD and SARKE. The latter is definitely a favorite. My introduction to TULUS came with me getting the reissue of their 1996 debut full length Pure Black Energy. That one also came out on Soulseller Records in 2019 and has extra tracks. And if you want more older TULUS then Soulseller Records is your go to label. 

 

So some history for ya. Yes TULUS are originally from the 90's era of Norwegian black metal. I hate using the term underrated when in comes to bands. In all honestly TULUS have pretty much been ignored. Every time you see some black metal retrospect in the media. TULUS are completely forgotten in lieu of some truly shit acts. But hey that's just my not so humble opinion. Anyways all told the band put out three albums in the 1990's then stopped to work on other projects. In 2007 they came back with a new album. Since then they've sporadically released a few more with this now counting as number seven.

Fandens kall is not a second coming of Pure Black Energy or Norwegian BM of old. Musically the three piece act, four if you count Blodstrup's wife Hildr who writes all lyrics, are following the same mold as KHOLD and SARKE. Part of the sound on here comes across as gloom and doom with some melodic passages. That's signature KHOLD. While at other times the band will launch into a blackened rockin groove ala SARKE.

Fandens kall is an album that grows on ya in appreciation. There's greatness in Blodstrup's sickly vocals plus mixture of mechanical and dissonance guitar tones. Crowbel, who joined in 2008, contributes a rumbling bass sound which gives it a doom appeal. Plus Sarke has always been a solid drummer, regardless of what band he's in. All in all it's a great album especially if you're a huge KHOLD and SARKE fan. 

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LISTEN HERE:

https://soulsellerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/fandens-kall

SARKE - Gastwerso review

SARKE - Gastwerso

Indie Recordings





Back in 2009 is when I got into SARKE with their debut full length Vorunah. That was when it was a blackened super group featuring multi-instrumentalist Thomas "Sarke" Bergli of KHOLD fame and Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum from DARKTHRONE on guitar and vocals. They were pretty much a black n roll act with some doom influence. 


At the same time DARKTHRONE were in their blackened speed metal phase. So ya kinda got caught in a decision of who was better. I ended up liking both and still followed SARKE over the past decade with their next bunch of full lengths. All of which are damm good. I always thought it was funny that Nocturno Culto always expanded his out of DARKTHRONE moments to music. Were as his partner in DARKTHRONE, Fenriz, went onto being an icon to hipsters via website posts and documentary nonsense.


Now as far as this, SARKE's sixth full length, goes the band (which also includes keyboardist Anders Hunstad, guitarists Stian Krabol from KHOLD and Steinar Gundersen who handles the lead work plus full time drummer Terje Krabol) have settled on continuing what they started with 2016’s Bogefod full length. We're talking about some decent black n roll, mildly symphonic stuff plus some neo-folk cuts.


On a whole Nocturno Culto once again gets to expand his vocal style whether it's actual singing or speaking through cuts. He's also accompanied once again by a female vocalist from past releases. Musically once again SARKE create a varied album which keeps things interesting. I find myself stumped as to which is better, the rocking cuts or the cleaner acoustic odes. With two previous albums of experimentation, Gastwerso ends up being the culmination of everything great that this act has done previously.


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