When a writer mentions the Second Wave of Black Metal, such reference doesn’t mean on a single format, but on many different ways that were risen on the genre between 1991 and 1994. If one think about MAYHEM, EMPEROR, ROTTING CHRIST, VARATHRON, DISSECTION, MARDUK, OPHTHALAMIA and others, this one will surely understand that Black Metal on those days gained tons of subgenres. And relying on classic models of the Second Wave of the genre is HERSIR, as heard on “Hateful Draugar from the Underground”, the band’s first full-length.

Hailing from Gothenburg (the city that gave to the world Melodic Death Metal), the duet focuses its energy on the creation of a form of Black Metal/Pagan Black Metal that was known on the first half of the 90s. The difference is that their aggressiveness is tempered by atmospheric ambiences created by the keyboards. The musical formulas aren’t new, many bands walked such paths in the past; but here, the duet uses a different and personal way that’s aggressive and filled with melancholic ambiences. And it’s really good.

The model used for the sound quality is that one of the past days, relying on lo-fi aspects to boost the organic and funereal side of their music. But the mastering is signed by Patrick W. Engel (the famous recording engineer from Germany, owner of Temple of Disharmony Studios, and is famous for his works with BLITZKRIEG, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, ASSASSIN, AGENT STEEL, CANDLEMASS, CANNIBAL CORPSE and many others), what means that the sonority has a ‘state of the art’ touch on it to boost the understanding of what is musically expressed.

“Dauðvána”, “Hateful Draugar from the Underground”, “The Ironclad Fighters of Hjaðningavíg”, “The Fiddler”, “Walking the Way of Giants”, “Holocaust Winter”, “Valgaldr”, “Purification by Fire”, “Blood Runs from the Hörgr” form a set of precious Black Metal songs that keep the old spirit of the genre alive, with fine instrumental parts contrasting with shrieks and grunts from the vocals, always with a sinister and eerie set of ambiences. It’s like dealing with releases as “In the Nightside Eclipse” and “Dark Medieval Times” for the first time, when surprises can come at any moment.

“Hateful Draugar from the Underground” is a fine first full-length, and it depicts that their Black Metal fans can expect great things of HERSIR in the future.