"Into The Outer Wilderness" is the ninth full-length release from the Swedish black metal band, GRAFVITNIR. This album will soon be released on Regain Records. They play a style of black metal that is firmly rooted in the second wave. The raspy vocals alternate between a ghastly whisper and an evil hiss. They fit in nicely with the somewhat raw production and the aural onslaught that is "Into The Outer Wilderness."

The album opens with the genuinely creepy and unsettling intro track, "Conjuring The Serpent Flames." The track consists of an eerie ambient track underneath banging noises and other spooky sounds before ushering in some occult chanting. I don't normally like ambient intro tracks, but this one works well. The following track, "Into The Outer Wilderness," begins with a great black metal guitar riff followed by some well-placed blast beats. The music sounds good overall, but the raw production makes the rhythm section sound muddled. I only like raw production when the style doesn't degrade the quality of the music. The vocals occupy a higher register and add to the overall intensity of the track. The transitions used in this song are also noteworthy.

The album continues to play out in standard second-wave black metal fashion until the fifth song, "Där Kölvindar Skriker Av Hat." This track is a slightly more melodic offering with a slower tempo and some excellent riffs. While listening to this song it dawned on me that there aren't any lead guitar solos on this or any of the album's preceding tracks. This is true for every track on "Into The Outer Wilderness." I found the lack of solos a bit disappointing, but I ultimately understand why this songwriting decision was made. "Through The Witchcraft Door" is the best track on the album. There is a thrash vibe that holds for the whole duration. Also, the production sounds slightly cleaner on this and the following two tracks. The guitar tone isn't as fuzzy. This is one of the faster tracks on this album and it shows that their speedier tunes are more intense and captivating than the mid-tempo offerings. The breakdowns are awesome, especially the elongated vamp near the end.

"Urtidens Becksvarta Arv" is by far the longest track on the album. Fortunately, it doesn't feel like a seven-minute song. They use the running time wisely. The vocals sound evil enough to make anyone cop a sinister grin and pretend to hold oranges. That is the case for most of the album. There are, however, times when the delivery is more drawn out, making the vocals sound monotonous. There's a fine line between demonic savagery and droning hisses. It is because of this that I'm more drawn to the vamps on the album, as opposed to the vocal parts.

Overall, "Into The Outer Wilderness" is a solid black metal album. There are a handful of great tracks, but it does little to move the subgenre forward. Also, the uneven production can be a nuisance. Ultimately, I'm torn when it comes to scoring this release. On this album, GRAFVITNIR walks the fine line between adequacy and mediocrity. I have to say it is one for the diehards only.