If you are like me and normally can't wait for the release of an album, there are plenty of clues to be had in the band's interviews in the preceding weeks. They rarely say one thing when they have done another. So, when I read this duo's recent ones, I got the feeling they were not setting out to change the formula of Black Metal; but more so the topics it typically covers. Unfortunately, and rather disappointedly, this is exactly what they have done. On the lyrical side they were "... looking to move away from murder and Satan" et al and write about "...the story behind every forgotten or never heard scream of our livid but still vibrant past." They hinted at a very welcome, if not entirely novel, change of subject. And by all accounts they have done an incredible job here, with it being described in articles as being poetic and incredibly well researched and above all, memorably innovative. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the music.

JORDFAST is the project of two friends from Sweden, the music writer and clean vocalist Elis and the main singer and lyricist Olof. Details are sketchy as to when they started this project but they must have been causing enough of a stir to be picked up by the legendary independent label Nordvis (ARMAGEDDA, PANOPTICON). And fittingly enough it was one of their stable mates, the brilliant GRIFT, that first came to mind when listening to this, their debut album "Hadenefter". Where this comparison is strongest and when coupled with elements of SHINING(Nor) and little sprinklings of CELTIC FROST the most interesting parts are formed but alas these are too few and far between.

The album itself is 33 minutes long but consists of only 2 songs.  Without first translating the lyrics I cannot say whether the narrative warrants this; but I can honestly say the music isn't engrossing enough to deserve 18 and 15 minutes of attention. When I put on IN THE WOODS' song "299,796 km/s", or ENSLAVED'S "793 (Slaget om Lindisfarne)",  it's very hard to stop them half way through, that wasn't a problem here, I'm afraid. If they could have divided the album up into six or seven songs instead, I think it would have worked a lot better. For instance, the final five minutes of the song "Hadanford" would have made a very complete song for me.

It's clear now that they picked the most interesting part of the album for their video teaser, which was released a few weeks ago. I got a little carried away by it, and I truly believed JORDFAST were going to be the shot in the arm that straight forward, honest to goodness Black Metal needed this year. The truth of it though, is that "Hadenefter" feels more like a booster of old norms than the rejuvenating vaccine required.