Three years after their eponymous debut release, Norwegian Black Metal horde NORDJEVEL are back with their much-anticipated sophomore album "Necrogenesis". With a line-up composing of some of Norway's greatest Black Metal musicians, it's no surprise that this album is a pure distillation of venom, hatred, and aggression, filled with nine songs spanning just over three quarters of an hour.

Opener "Sunset Glow", which was released earlier this year as a single, comes tearing in with furious tremolo picked guitar parts and enough blast beats to launch a small rocket to near-orbit. Shrieked screams strip your soul, whilst the aural onslaught of the wall of guitars is completely decimating. Despite the spit-fire feel of the song, it certainly is not lacking in melody, melding seamlessly into a dirty Black 'n Roll melody briefly before resuming its machine-gun tempo. "Devilry" on the other hand sees a more melodic feel come to the fore, but this is done without sacrificing a shred of the song's militant harshness, with the song still assured to leave you completely steamrollered. In stark contrast to this, "Black Lights from the Void" takes the pace down a notch, bringing in a more melancholic feel, whilst the spoken/chanted part gives the song a more ritualistic and mysterious air. This is a small reprieve before the vicious pinnacle of the album, "Amen Whores", which sees NORDJEVEL return to their usual "take no prisoners" approach to music. For all that, "The Fevered Lands" is one of the best songs on the album, enshrouding the listener in a tempestuous and swirling melody that slices with the ferociousness of a blizzard of razor blades: alacritous, hard-hitting, and completely unstoppable. "Nazarene Necrophilia" sees a return to the sleezy Black 'n Roll tempo, with a song that is both contagious yet ruthless. Closer "Panzerengel", whose name translate to "tank angel" in German is by far the longest song on the album. This song sees epic orchestrations and searing guitar solos alike being slewed into an infernal, abysmal pit of chunky guitars and devastating drumming that could rival the bottomless void which form the blackened heart of most DARK FUNERAL's songs. The almost angelic sounds combined with front-line fire slightly more than half way provide a slight interlude before launching the listener straight back into a venomous maelstrom of a song which rips at you with ravenous claws before slowly fading out.

With "Necrogenesis" NORDJEVEL has returned to conquer the world with an absolutely shattering release. Being made up of several of the infamous musicians in the Norwegian Black Metal scene, the musicianship on the album is flawless and tight. You'll still hear plenty of influences typically found in some of the more major Norwegian Black Metal bands, but NORDJEVEL go beyond being a mere amalgamation. The mixing and mastering of this album cannot have been easy and yet is generally very well done. "Necrogenesis" is crisp and clear, and yet remains mercilessly ravaging. However, at time some instruments do drown out others, such as the guitars in "Devilry". Still, this is a minor gripe on an otherwise excellent album. Overall, "Necrogenesis" is quite a varied album, with interesting facets hidden throughout, making it a pleasure to listen to again and again.