#kampfar — Public Fediverse posts

Song: Valdogg
Band: #Kampfar
Album: Mellom skogkledde aaser
Year: 1997
Genre: #BlackMetal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMsHtCTgerE

Full playlist here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14jd7IW32OZtlmXiOfz4eG?si=81b2b0f12c5a410e

For those who abhor the second-wave of black metal and its worship,1 Mork’s Monolitt may not be your cup of iced tea. Frosty tremolos, glacial chugs, and biting rasps lurk within, offering a welcome blast of northern darkness as I stare down the barrel of another sweltering Atlanta summer. Established in 2004, Thomas Eriksen’s Mork has been dispensing rime and punishment since debut Isebakke dropped in 2013. Now thirteen years on, Mork unveils eighth slab Monolitt, which radiates icy, blackened ire. As is customary, Eriksen supplies the lion’s share of sounds, though Asgeir Mickelson (ex-Borknagar, ex-Ihsahn) plies the drums while Øyvind Kaslegard (Svart Lotus) contributes additional vocals. Monolitt translates to ‘Monolith’ in English, and though it provides wonderful imagery and is immediately evocative, the name also sells a promise. Can Mork’s Monolitt deliver by embodying a towering manifestation of second-wave mayhem, or will it get buried beneath the permafrost?

Mork’s discography evolves with each release while maintaining a consistency of high-caliber craftsmanship that listeners can rely upon. Early Mork material embraced rawer production featuring buzz-sawing guitars and lo-fi fuzz, and though it blankets those albums in textureless uniformity, interesting ideas and riffs gleam through the static. Over time, Eriksen has refined his approach, finding ways to subtly experiment within the confines of second-wave black metal. In this way, Mork reminds me of Mayhem and Thron, continuously pushing the boundaries of their soundscape to expand their grasp of the genre. To me, 2024’s Syv acts as Mork’s most exploratory album to date, demonstrated by their foray into broader instrumentation as well as the beautiful acoustic and clean-sung finale, “Omme.” Monolitt, on the other hand, recenters the band squarely in second-wave territory, albeit with a smattering of Syv’s less conventional elements.

Given the solid foundation Mork establishes within black metal’s most identifiable form, Monolitt proves to be a bit of a misnomer considering the wealth of diverse ideas within it. Leadoff track “Under Vekten av Verden” kicks off festivities in ferocious fashion, where Mickelson hammers the kit with clockwork rigidity, and Eriksen dispatches wicked licks and riffs that sound like they were pulled from the heart of winter itself. “Ødelagt” begins with the same fury, but by its end decelerates to a funereal crawl. Follow-up “Torden” rejuvenates the pacing with a simple yet exhilarating guitar lead and gusts of peppy drum patterns that never fail to get my head bobbing. Monolitt doesn’t hoard the goodies on the front end, though, as “Inn i en Annen Sfære” and “Jutul” overflow with well-crafted moments applied using a delicate touch, underpinning Mork’s growth as astute songwriters. “Inn i en Annen Sfære” sparkles like ice-capped snow, where crystalline guitars glide through bright, sustained synths as the pacing inevitably propels the song into proper blackened tremolos and Eriksen’s gruff rasp. Similarly, “Utryddelse” employs tempo and mood shifts throughout its runtime that develop riveting dynamics and remind me of Kampfar and newer Mayhem, while “Jutul” uses a dash of clean singing in addition to recalling early Gorgorth’s implementation of faint, understated melody.

The whole of Monolitt is as impressive as the sum of its parts, and on it Mork endeavors to distill their essence even further. The mixing (Børge Finstad) and mastering (Jack Control and Maor Appelbaum) highlight the music wonderfully, giving each instrument ample space and retaining an edge to the tones such that Monolitt never sounds polished or slick. I only wish that the album’s middle was as consistent as its bookends. The tracks I’ve mentioned stand out as grade-A black metal, and though the other songs are good to very good, they don’t quite live up to the heights established at the pinnacle of Monolitt.

Through eight albums, Mork utterly convinces that their creative well runs deep. Monolitt stands tall, a monument to second-wave songwriting that demonstrates further exploration of the style doesn’t have to be stale. While Syv edges Monolitt out as my favorite Mork release, it’s damn close, and more than anything else, I’m left incredibly impressed with the band’s maturation and steadfast output. It’s rare for a band putting out so much material in so short a time to maintain this level of quality, but you better believe this one’s a genuine, bona fide, electrified, nine-track Monolitt. Now say it again, and hop on board!

Rating: Very Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Peaceville Records
Websites: Website | Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: June 19th, 2026

It’s been a long five years since we’ve had an album from this Norwegian foursome. Which is probably a good thing, considering their last few releases haven’t been their best by a long shot. Basically, since 2011’s V, the band has struggled to retain their days-of-yore sound while trying to expand on it and deliver something fresh. Having left Season of Mist and returned to Indie Recordings, now is the time to drop something new and exciting—especially if you’ve once again enlisted the mighty Mistur’s keyboard wizard, Espen Bakketeig, to lend a hand in the finished product. One spin in and Vreid fans will find a lot of what you’ve come to expect from the band, while also exploring some surprising new directions that are sure to drop your jaw. But, is that a good or bad thing for The Skies Turn Black?

As has become the norm for the band, we’re blessed with some killer guest appearances by the aforementioned Espen Bakketeig and Djerv’s Agnete Kjølsrud, a smart decision by Kampfar on the amazing Ofidians Manifest. While Bakketeig’s performance on 2021’s solid Wild North West, I felt he was underutilized when crafting his key atmospheres or lustful piano passages. Thankfully, that is not the case for The Skies Turn Black. Outside of the emotional piano interludes, you’ll find plenty of powerful, spacey, and quirky key atmospheres throughout. And Kjølsrud’s contributions to the almost gothy “Loving the Dead” make it one of the best songs the band has ever penned.1

The album begins on a strong note with “From These Woods,” which is one of the longer and more epic tracks. After opening with some soothing clean and acoustic guitars, the black metal assault ensues. After passing through a dark alley of echoing clean-vocal support, the new riff change is nastier and heavier than ever. But the moment you get settled in, the song comes to a screeching halt, unloading beautiful piano, soaring guitars, and lush, clean vocals. When it concludes, you’re whiplashed with a vicious attack because the fucking song still has two minutes to go. Another track that has similarities is “Smile of Hate.” This one has a simple but headbangable riff in the vein of Amon Amarth, that marches along at one point and collapses into another impressive piano passage. This time, a little less ethereal and more like the piano and key work of Dimmu Borgir.

But, like all Vreid records in the last decade, there’s a point where things get real weird. Not in a negative way, like some previous material. On The Skies Turn Black, it begins with “Kraken.” It turns out this track is part of the soundtrack to this year’s Norwegian “blockbuster,” Kraken.2 But being more synth-driven than guitar-driven, it has an eerie vibe that actually would work equally well in the movie Sorcerer.3 It’s not a standout track, but it’s the perfect introduction to “Loving the Dead” because it uses the same elements. As mentioned, this song stands way out because Kjølsrud dominates on vocals. This eight-minute epic takes you through so many emotions, from Kjølsrud’s vocals to the intertwined guitar work and the climactic finish. This special piece is definitely a Grier SotY contender.

There are plenty of other high moments on this record, which is hella nice to hear for a change. The track that really loses me, though, is “Echoes of Life.” It’s not a bad song, but it’s an odd duck of ’70s progness. While it’s smooth and clean, it’s too old-timey to fit with the rest of the album. Thankfully, the follow-up closer “The Earth Rumbles” reignites the fire before the album concludes. If “Echoes of Life” ended the record, I might be a bit more upset. But, I’m pleased to say The Skies Turn Black is Vreid’s best album since V. Which is wild to say considering there are four full-lengths in that time. The master is nicely done, letting everyone shine when it matters—especially the bass, which has always been a major staple to their sound. If the skies really are going to turn black, I’m here for it. After all, that’s better than the color they are these days.



Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: Stream | Format Reviewed: Stream deez nutz
Label: Indie Recordings
Websites: vreid.bandcamp.com | vreid.no | facebook.com/vreidofficial
Releases Worldwide: March 6th, 2026

Kampfar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8PHprwVaBo
#youtube_arteconcert #ARTE #Autre #arteconcert #summerbreeze #heavymetal #metal #rock #kampfar

Ooooh… new #Drudkh and #Kampfar albums today? Yes please!

#BlackMetal #MetalHead