In the early days of the 90's, Black Metal acts worked in a way that the sound quality of their releases were extremely crude, a form of manifest against the good sonorities that Death Metal bands were building on those days. This is the 'ugly aesthetics' that is mentioned on "Until the Light Takes Us", a documentary released on 2008. But one must take care with such way, because a manifest can be used as a paradigm of musical expression, for it can damage a good work, and this is the main problem found on "VII - Kenoma", the latest release of German FYRNASK.

The band's musical work is a form of Old School Black Metal heavily influenced by Atmospheric Black Metal with some Pagan/Heathen touches. It's introspective and aggressive at the same time, with contrasts between harsh and brutal parts with some melancholic and deep moments. The formula is good, and they work it in a very good and personal way. Musically, the band could dare a bit more, but it's not bad. But the production is where they lose the game. The works of Fabian Schulz (mixing) and V. Santura (mastering) couldn't save the album, because such crude approach really is a problem when the band tries to express its ideas. It's truly hard to understand what is being played.

With a lot of effort, the listeners will be able to understand something, so songs as "Hrævaþefr", "Niðamyrkr", "Helreginn" and "Dauðvána" can offer something different and a darkened travel through Black Metal's musical core. But to do so isn't something that everyone is able to do. Sorry, but as the sonority and the songs are linked in a way that isn't possible to separate, the album is a waste.

Better luck next time, because "VII - Kenoma" expressions can't be understood, even for those Black Metal fanatics. FYRNASK must evolve in a way that music and sonority are bounded together.