DJEVEL are a Black Metal group from Oslo, Norway, formed in 2009. Made up of musicians from various Norwegian Metal acts, the band released their newest album "Saa Raa og Kald" this past spring.

The band members bring with them a wealth of experience with acts such as ENSLAVED and KVELERTAK, so it's not that surprising that this record manages to sound as fresh as it does without straying from its Black Metal roots. The instruments channel second-wave acts like DARKTHRONE and IMMORTAL, with a tone that falls somewhere between the former's malice and the latter's majesty.

The song titles would suggest that "Saa Raa og Kald" is less than positive in nature, but it doesn't feel evil so much as just intense. "Vaar Forbannede Jord" , the 'proper' opener following the strange and ominous intro track, sets the tempo for an album that burns with undeniable purpose. The production on the album gives the guitars a sharp tone that lets the melodies stand out while flying in a whipping, whirlwind-like fury. This is where the band really make their mark, as there is a distinct feeling of mystery and even awe in the passages of visceral offerings like "Hode Og Hals I Doedsvals", "De Som Hadde Onde Oeyne", and "Salmesang Og Knokkelklang" that transcends your everyday darkness.

Of course, DJEVEL isn't all about speed for speed's sake, but there's no doubt that the album's most thrilling moments well exceed the speed limit, creating a sense of urgency in addition to the general chaos of the music. The band's forays into less caffeinated territory are nearly as successful; "Norges Land Og Rike" has a neat break around the two-minute mark that has something of a pagan swing to it (if that makes any sense), while the instrumental "I En Iskald Grav" lingers like the pain of a freshly opened wound, only to be unleashed shortly after in the explosive beginning to "De Som Hadde Onde Oeyne".

The thing that most stood out to me with "Saa Raa Og Kald" is how undeniably Black Metal it sounds, but not in the way most would think. Far from generic sounding, DJEVEL have crafted the most 'pure' Black Metal sound I've heard in a long time. It doesn't conform to the raw, necro sound of the genre's forefathers, and it does little more than acknowledge the eclectic sounds that have seeped into the Black Metal textbook in the years that followed. "Saa Raa Og Kald" is dynamic, focused, and, most importantly, incredibly satisfying. I'm not sure even the trvest of the 'trve' Black Metal fans could find something legitimate to complain about. Highly recommended for fans of gimmick-free, unadulterated Black Metal.