After trying to read the Press release (but couldn't do it since I needed a magnifying glass for that) I sat down to write about ARCKANUM's latest album "Sviga Læ", a CD that comes only a year after "ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ" which I liked a lot.

ARCKANUM was formed in 1992 after Shamaatae left DISINTERMENT, a Death Metal band. From then on this one-man band released 5 full length albums and a couple of EP's and split EP's. And I believed that with this album and with Regain Records behind him, Shamaatae was ready to make a big step towards recognition in the occult Black Metal scene.

But he doesn't...Even though "ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ" was a very good album, in my opinion, Shamaatae has made a step back with "Sviga Læ". Is it that he released it only a year after the previous full length or because he doesn't have the help from Sethlans Teitan (WATAIN, ex-ABORYM)? Or even, in the worst scenario, he's short of ideas... the thing is that even though there are nice riffs in this album the songs are monotonous, without any changes in rhythm or even a different riff! Imagine an over 4 minutes song without any changes whatsoever. Only one word can describe it and this is "boring". Yes I did bang my head in all the songs, but only for one or two minutes in each one, since the rest was exactly the same and I was ready to close my eyes.

There are no more things to write about this album. I truly hope that "Sviga Læ" is just a bad intermission for ARCKANUM and that their next album will again be of the same quality like in their previous releases. Until next time, and just because the 10 to 12 (yes, only 10-12 riffs in six tracks!) riffs in this album are good...