Swedish Naglfar from Umeå is representative of that typical Swedish sound pioneered by Dissection. It is perhaps this similarity with Dissection that has prevented this band from rising to the state of great band. The album Sheol from 2004, albeit valid, shows very much Naglfar’s being epigones of Dissection, to such an extent that it results an album without personality; Sheol was followed a year later by another failed album, Pariah (2005). With Harvest from 2007, Naglfar manages to shake off the influence that Dissection had on their sound, by seeking a more personal style and thus giving life to a really nice album.
Teras, released in 2012, continues on this path. After the departure of bassist Peter Morgan Lie and of drummer Mattias Gran, the line-up was reduced to three members, the vocalist and the two guitarists, but the band was not affected: the battery was delivered by Belgian Dirk Verbeuren and the album also features guest vocals by German Matthias Jell, known as Azathoth, in “Bring Out Your Death”.
Teras seems to rely on a more powerful and aggressive sound, a very catchy one, and there are here and there are the typical elements of Swedish melodic black metal that had characterized the previous albums too. Everything is blended very well in an album of nine songs, in which Naglfar took much care of composition, arrangements and the details; the album is consequently varied and lively and pleasant to listen to. In this respect the five-year pause has been useful. At some moments I seem to notice a slight influence of Watain, especially in the slow parts .
The album starts with the title track “Téras”, a very short song, lasting only 2:16 minutes, with slow and doomy rhythms. It continues with two very aggressive songs, “Pale Horse” and “III: Death Dimension Phantasma”, and then again a slow, powerful and very beautiful song, “The Monolith”. Maybe this doomy, epic approach is the novelty of this album. “An Extension of His Arm and Will” contains a chorus accompanied by a tapping riff that is reminiscent of a similar one in “Into the Black” from Harvest. One of the best songs is “Come Perdition”, which contains a highly absorbing mid-tempo with polyphonic tremolo riffs.
The texts often describe an apocalyptic scenario of what is to come in the “Aftermath”, as in “Pale Horse”. Death is somehow always present, but also darkness; the hell is sometimes mentioned. These so cryptic texts sometimes take on an eschatological perspective, as when referring to the opening of the fourth seal of the Apocalypse in “Pale Horse”.
Teras is a beautiful album that needs more than one listening to be really appreciated.
Teras, released in 2012, continues on this path. After the departure of bassist Peter Morgan Lie and of drummer Mattias Gran, the line-up was reduced to three members, the vocalist and the two guitarists, but the band was not affected: the battery was delivered by Belgian Dirk Verbeuren and the album also features guest vocals by German Matthias Jell, known as Azathoth, in “Bring Out Your Death”.
Teras seems to rely on a more powerful and aggressive sound, a very catchy one, and there are here and there are the typical elements of Swedish melodic black metal that had characterized the previous albums too. Everything is blended very well in an album of nine songs, in which Naglfar took much care of composition, arrangements and the details; the album is consequently varied and lively and pleasant to listen to. In this respect the five-year pause has been useful. At some moments I seem to notice a slight influence of Watain, especially in the slow parts .
The album starts with the title track “Téras”, a very short song, lasting only 2:16 minutes, with slow and doomy rhythms. It continues with two very aggressive songs, “Pale Horse” and “III: Death Dimension Phantasma”, and then again a slow, powerful and very beautiful song, “The Monolith”. Maybe this doomy, epic approach is the novelty of this album. “An Extension of His Arm and Will” contains a chorus accompanied by a tapping riff that is reminiscent of a similar one in “Into the Black” from Harvest. One of the best songs is “Come Perdition”, which contains a highly absorbing mid-tempo with polyphonic tremolo riffs.
The texts often describe an apocalyptic scenario of what is to come in the “Aftermath”, as in “Pale Horse”. Death is somehow always present, but also darkness; the hell is sometimes mentioned. These so cryptic texts sometimes take on an eschatological perspective, as when referring to the opening of the fourth seal of the Apocalypse in “Pale Horse”.
Teras is a beautiful album that needs more than one listening to be really appreciated.
Notes:
Teras was released on March 26, 2012 through Century Media Records.
Tracklist:
1. “Téras” 02:16
2. “Pale Horse” 03:38
3. “III: Death Dimension Phantasma” 04:15
4. “The Monolith” 06:33
5. “An Extension of His Arm and Will” 04:46
6. “Bring Out Your Dead” 04:49
7. “Come, Perdition” 05:43
8. “Invoc(H)ate” 04:25
9. “The Dying Flame of Existence” 08:12
Personell:
Kristoffer Olivius - Vocals
Andreas Nilsson - Guitars
Marcus E. Norman - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Guest musicians:
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums
Matthias Jell - additional vocals on “Bring Out Your Death”
Teras was released on March 26, 2012 through Century Media Records.
Tracklist:
1. “Téras” 02:16
2. “Pale Horse” 03:38
3. “III: Death Dimension Phantasma” 04:15
4. “The Monolith” 06:33
5. “An Extension of His Arm and Will” 04:46
6. “Bring Out Your Dead” 04:49
7. “Come, Perdition” 05:43
8. “Invoc(H)ate” 04:25
9. “The Dying Flame of Existence” 08:12
Personell:
Kristoffer Olivius - Vocals
Andreas Nilsson - Guitars
Marcus E. Norman - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Guest musicians:
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums
Matthias Jell - additional vocals on “Bring Out Your Death”
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com