Thankfully there are people in this world who still enjoy owning physical versions of the music they listen to as opposed to essentially renting them on a subscription basis via streaming platforms. It's largely that market Purity Through Fire had in mind with the release of TÅRFÖDD's "Lidande" in CD format back on October 31, 2025.

So, to back up a bit. TÅRFÖDD is the moniker for Simon Lindgren's DSBM project which was started in 2022. To date they have released five full-length albums as well as several collaborations. "Lidande" isn't the latest of TÅRFÖDD's effort. I mean, Simon is a highly prolific artist and trying to pin him down in any one moment is a futile gesture. The album is technically the fourth TÅRFÖDD LP.

'Lidande' is a Swedish word which roughly translates to 'suffering.' Kind of a recurrent motif in the DSBM scene. Looking at the cover art for "Lidande" (Vindur, Drömskogen Art) most people could have intuitively picked up on the theme. Some dude crouching in the cold dark woods, head clasped in hands, two pairs of eyes looking on from the shadows bearing witness to us bearing witness to this person's suffering. And then you hit the play button and you get the sonic version of the art work you're looking upon. It's all very tightly aligned.

The album itself comprises 11 tracks for a little over 55 minutes of runtime. It starts with an acoustic intro to the first track and thereafter short acoustic interludes pop up throughout—not entire tracks, just brief, elusive threads here and there. On one hand, you think, yeah, okay, a bit like Atmospheric Folk or any number of BM subgenre's but I think there is more than just a tempo shift going on here. For me these breaks are like moments of lucidity in an otherwise chaotic mind. Again, very tightly aligned to the overarching theme.

With few exceptions, the tracks are largely sung/screeched in Swedish, which for me adds to the mystique. I don't really want to hear someone singing to me in English and with clean vocals about the ins and outs of their depressive sentiments. I'm good with picking it up from the overall ambience. Don't necessarily need chapter and verse. If that makes me a bad DSBM fan, then so be it. All that is to say, I enjoy the vocal delivery on this album.

Favorite tracks include "The Strive for Excellence." This might be the only track sung in English. Its message is fairly brief and to the point: "Search . . . for . . . something . . . else than what we have." It's barely even melancholic unless you consider the idea that whole purpose of existence might be to always strive for something else. Not necessarily something better, just something else—an endless cycle of need. Does anyone else find that hilarious or am I the only sick bastard in the room?

At any rate, I also really enjoyed "Mörkret" (trans: the darkness). This is one of those tracks that oscillates between Atmosphere and brutal attack. I just really like the contrast. And finally, I'll toss "Saknaden" (trans: the missing) into my list of favs. This one starts off with an almost jubilant melody before tipping into more crass but still melodic BM. One of the most peaceful tracks on the album in a discordant way. Just for the hell of it, I'll also include "The Thing to Fear is Life." I like this track for its slight foray into Thrash/Punk. Good stuff.

If the digital only release of TÅRFÖDD's "Lidande" left you a bit peckish, you can now snag its physical cousin via   Purity Through Fire. I mean CD is still technically digital, but at least you can pick it up and open it and read shit in it, put it on a shelf later. Use it as a coaster, throw it at someone. You own it. Do as you please. A bit more satisfactory, that.