The first thing you'll notice while listening to "Lenket Til Livet", the debut album of three-piece Norwegian Black Metal  band HAGL is that you won't understand a single word from the lyrics. First of all, because it's in Norwegian. I guess I don't need a second of all. However, no man overboard, if the music sounds kickass, who cares, right? Many a Scandinavian Black Metal band still sounds really good, even if you can't understand what the hell they're singing about. But, unfortunately and regrettably, this album really doesn't.

I don't think the singer has ever heard of the term 'octave'. He just keeps on grunting in a monotone manner, and the heavy but slow guitar makes the album sound like one really long and boring song, just like a sentence that keeps going on and on and on without really saying anything or making a point of some sort, but just keeps flowing onward, just like this one, and yes, this is how bored you'll feel listening to the album, from about halfway through the first song in, "Askefast".

After three songs you start to realize it probably won't get any better from this point onward. The only break you get is an acoustic intro and bridge in song number four, "Fra Kulden Til Flammene". But until "Sjelefiende"s early BLACK SABBATH sounding intro riff, you won't hear anything remotely worthwhile.  And this coming from a band with members playing in relatively well known Norwegian Black Metal bands like BEASTCRAFT, ENDEZZMA and VULTURE.

HAGL could have made the album sound kind of promising if only they had put the last song, "Endelikt", first, but I guess they'd rather make you wait for it and go out with a bang than try to fool you and lead you on. At least that I can respect.