Band: Skald In Veum
Release House: Rottweiler Records/Sky Burns Black Records
Genre: Rock/Metal
One Sentence Synopsis: Scandinavian black metal quartet.
Series: Standalone
Single/EP/Album: EP
Release Date: October 30, 2015
Running Time: 27:32
MSRP: $9.98
Discount Link: Click Here
Website: Click Here
Music Video: Click Here
Reviewed by: Reverend Leviathan
Final Score: 4.0 Moons
There is little information floating throughout the vast compendiums of metal scattered around the internet about Scandinavian black metal band, Skald In Veum; a dark and driving force with one mission: a violent and visceral baptism by way of complete immersion in brutalizing black metal. (This un-black quartet is here to re-establish the true darkness of the genre for all of you who are sick of symphonic, atmospheric melodic crap.) 1260 Days is their debut release on Rottweiler Records.
Theme
Opening with a quiet wind, ravens cawing and a bit of thunder I was expecting a slow entrance into the song but then BAM! The band wastes no time with throwing metal right into your face. Fast heavy riffs, fast paced drums (amazed they didn’t have to use a drum machine) and screams come right out of nowhere. This band does not mess around with the dark spiritual themes in their lyrics and the anguish that they use in the old-school black metal style.
Presentation
It was really nice to hear the old sound of black metal again. Overall they kept a really fast pace throughout the entire album aside for a couple of very well, put-together break downs where the tempo and pace slowed down and added a sense of impending doom, which also added some variety to the sound so not every song sounded the same (hard to do these days in the metal scene).
My favorite songs are Inferno and Eden Raped because they seemed to be the most musically complicated and lyrically-speaking very powerful. Inferno takes us on the journey spoken of in the dark tale of Dante’s Inferno with some beautiful words (“Not evil but mortal, ash and flesh, unable to walk the bridge of spirits”), and Eden Raped speaks of mankind’s abuse of the Earth.
The track order is perfect. They begin and end the EP on very powerful songs.
Gothic Fit
The mood of the album is one of dark anguish. Not necessarily admitting there is hope but more of a longing for hope (very Gothic in nature). Also taking from Dante’s Inferno we get a lot of the dark imagery that is found in the soul’s journey through the nine circles of hell, screaming out to be set free, describing in detail many of the circles.
Closing Thoughts
I tried singing along with these songs. Afterwards I needed Hall’s cough drops and some Vick’s Vapor Rub. Skald In Veum is one of those bands that’s rekindling my love for black metal.
Theme: 3.0 Moons
Presentation: 4.0 Moons
Gothic Fit: 3.5 Moons
Final Score (not an average): 4.0 Moons
