Svartnad
The Pete Flesh Deathtrip
•
February 23, 2017
Slow, doomy and in held mostly in the mid-tempo range the eight songs of this one man project generate a malevolent atmospheric feel at once sinister but with a morbid melodic feel throughout, the mentioned influences of SODOM in my eyes being more akin to a band like GOD DETHRONED than the old German Thrash masters. Add to that elements of Possessed and BATHORY and you have the overall sound definition of the band.
''In Ruinam Iniquitas'' starting with the aforementioned mid paced tempo before halfway through developing into a faster more upbeat and traditional death metal style reminiscent of Swedish bands such as In Flames when they were still metal. A familiar TIAMAT infused feeling also coming through in the vocals and overall tremolo picking guitar department, a feeling made more prominent by the subtle and effective keyboard usage, adding more weight to proceedings and giving the song more heft
''Burial Shore'', compared to the previous song and opening track is held completely in the atmospheric mid-tempo range.
''All the Serpents'', manages to combine the mid-tempo with the more straight forward and aggressive death metal approach to brilliant effect, starting off fast before giving way to a slower and heavily brooding riff, changing between the two styles seamlessly.
''The Sun will fail'' brings those aforementioned BATHORY influences to the fore, slow riffing intercepted with effective short breaks in the rhythm and another brilliant use of atmospheric keyboard induced sounds with subtle female background vocals and some impressive melodic guitar work especially in the lead department, the song become faster towards the end.
''The Winter of the Wolves'' once again manages to combine faster aggressive guitar tremolos with reduced atmospheric rhythms and melodic riffing to great effect, pulling the listener into a beautifully morbid world covered in snow and full of the power of nature, back to a time when man was one with his environment, individual and without rules.
Title track ''Svartnad'' is my personal favourite track on offer here with its military style drumming, atmospheric melodic guitar work and subtle keyboard flourishes and a main riff that is both hypnotic and powerful.
Overall this is a well produced and effective work, "Svartnad" being the perfect antidote to the more and more commercial leanings of some of the bands peers, who, instead of relying on diluted hollow platitudes without meaning here delivers a no holds barred and unapologetic look into a world full of raw and morbid beauty.
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9 / 10
Almost Perfect
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Svartnad" Track-listing:
1. In Ruinam Iniquitas
2. Burial Shore
3. All the Serpents
4. The Sun Will Fail
5. Melting The Frost From Your Eyes
6. The Winter Of The Wolves
7. She Dwells Into The Dark
8. Svartnad
The Pete Flesh Deathtrip Lineup:
Pete Flesh - vocals, guitars, bass, layers.
Henrik Borg - session drums, backing vocals, layers
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