VANHELGA, a Black Metal band born in Sweden in 2001. Over the fourteen years this band has been making music they have released three full-length albums and numerous EPs, two demos, and a split album coming in 2015. Also in 2015, VANHELGA, released their fifth EP "Happiness". "Happiness" is in fact not about true happiness, but about what one does to themselves to become happy. Ottosson reveals the his "constant need to write and record is a by-product of my mental state, and I am the first one to admit that whilst recording this I was under the strong influence of drugs. This resulted in a piece of work that is an expression of the effect of the use of self-destructive tools like drugs and self-mutilation in order to feel "happy". "

"Happiness" comes in at seven tracks and a listening time of just under 29 minutes. Intro track "Dekonstrucktion" - starts with a low guitar, but even lower bass and drum lines; it makes for a very gloomy Black Metal entrance. There are tons of other elements in this track that lend hand to genre shifts. There are only spoken vocals in the intro. As I listened along to the rest of the tracks, the album only has spoken vocals.

I love instrumentals and this album is a great expression of an instrumental. I think that some of the spoken vocals are over used and unnecessary in some instances. However, it doesn't take too much away from the over all sound being as its not in every track, but most. Within the tracks of "Happiness" there is a "Loneliness" track, lay no. three, which is a piano, and only a piano piece. The track is great for breaking up the hardness of the beginning of the album. Track four "Tvingad att leva" is back at the hard and brutality of Black Metal. Track five is another piano only track "Emptiness". These piano-only tracks are really good at showcasing what a diverse mix of music VANHELGA can create.

The writing in this album is amazing; the musicianship in this album is intense and stunning. However, the heavier music is so loud that the production is off; it sounds like listening to music on a stereo with a bad speaker. Trying to rock out when the bass is too loud and creates that noise in the speakers. That is the only negative thing I can say about this album.

Being a mostly instrumental, the album instantly appealed to me, but the music makes that appeal much stronger. I only wish the production was a little better. The music is phenomenal making this album a love hate for me. There is the creativeness and the goodness great albums are made of, but then there is the loudness of the recording. It's a good listen to those who love greatly written music, so even with the sound issue, I think "Happiness" is an album to check out, especially if you like instrumental Black Metal.