_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _
___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___
| / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ |
| . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . |
| .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. |
_ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _
\\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | //
\ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | /
. | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | .
| | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | |
.... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | ....
| ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` |
|.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....|
. ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. .
_____________:_____________ _____________:_____________
_ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _
// __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\
_ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _
\\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/f3!///
- -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- -
- -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ -
: : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : :
___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___
_\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_
/_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\
/// . . : : . . \\\
/: :\
/:: Artist :: Helheim ::\
:: Album :: raunijaR ::
:: Year :: 2015 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . ::
:: Label :: Dark Essence Records R.date :: 2016.01.21 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: KAR100CD Size :: 81,28 MB __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.98.4 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 270kbps : .
. Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint Stereo .
. .
Website :: http://www.helheim.com/
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 01. Helheim 9 04:31 ::
:: 02. Raunijar 05:29 ::
:: 03. ┼sgards fall III 12:25 ::
:: 04. ┼sgards fall IV 08:40 ::
:: 05. Odr 10:27 ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 41:32 ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: I feel quite confident when I say that Helheim might be one ::
:: of the most underrated Viking metal outfits on the planet. ::
:: There weren't too many Norwegian black-metal bands in the ::
:: mid '90s pushing the Viking sound as hard as these guys. And ::
:: there sure-as-hell weren't many bands incorporating trumpet ::
:: and Jew's harp in their compositions. Helheim have pushed ::
:: upon the very boundaries of their genre with each release ::
:: and built what can only be described as their own ::
:: microcosmic world; one fenced off by their musical output ::
:: and sustained by respect for both music and heritage. After ::
:: twenty years of expanding and evolving, Helheim continue ::
:: their tireless crusade with their eighth release, raunijaR. ::
:: You never know what to expect from each Helheim release and ::
:: raunijaR is no different. With that in mind, gear up for the ::
:: final assault on 2015 and allow Helheim to put their war- ::
:: thirsty skills to the test. ::
:: ::
:: In a way, Helheimæs discography is a continuing concept from ::
:: one release to the next; one that is ever-evolving in sound ::
:: and multi-part sagas. With 2015's raunijaR, we actually bare ::
:: witness to the conclusion of a couple of these sagas. For ::
:: instance, opening track "Helheim 9" represents - obviously - ::
:: the ninth installment of a journey that began with the 1999 ::
:: EP, Terrorveldet. raunijaR also marks the conclusion of the ::
:: must-have "┼sgards Fall" quadrilogy that began with the 2010 ::
:: EP, ┼sgards Fall. And in a fitting sort of way, raunijaRæs ::
:: five-track, forty-minute runtime gives it that "EP" feel as ::
:: it pays respect to this classic, back-catalog lineage, while ::
:: concluding it in fine fashion. ::
:: ::
:: Mostly clean-guitar oriented, "Helheim 9" represents the ::
:: first taste of what's to come; most notably, the powerful, ::
:: clean duets of original members V'gandr (bass/vocals) and ::
:: H'grimnir (guitars/vocals). Though this album has some harsh ::
:: rasps throughout, these lads have honed their angelic pipes ::
:: for raunijaR and have introduced yet another weapon in their ::
:: creative arsenal. They pursue these cleans, duets, and ::
:: Viking-choirs throughout the album and execute them in ::
:: grandest form on closer "Odr." With a tasteful similarity to ::
:: Ulver, the layered vocals build and build before the song ::
:: finally submits to its violin/piano outro. Knowing full-well ::
:: that this focus on cleaner vocals definitely stands out in ::
:: comparison to previous albums, the fast-paced title track ::
:: features a "coughing" and "hacking" segment (following a ::
:: rather venomous vocal delivery), as if to hint at - and ::
:: playfully mock - the new direction the band plans to take ::
:: vocally. ::
:: ::
:: Of all the tracks I was most excited for on raunijaR, ::
:: "┼sgards Fall III" and "┼sgards Fall IV" were my most ::
:: anticipated. I celebrate the band's entire catalog but every ::
:: time I rediscover "┼sgards Fall I" and "II," I'm swept right ::
:: off my feet. Opening with some gorgeous acoustic guitar ::
:: licks (a la Brand New Sin), "III" transitions into heavy ::
:: Bathory worship in the way of massive Viking choirs and a ::
:: war-like determination further emphasized by the massive ::
:: drums and horns engulfing the track. "IV" takes the reins ::
:: and continues where "III" left off with more vocal duets, ::
:: Bathory influences, and increased grandiosity. The first ::
:: half of the track begins its build from the song's opening ::
:: drum work before dying off completely at the midway point. ::
:: From here the climb begins again via reverberating riffs ::
:: borrowed from the gentler side of Immortal and a conclusion ::
:: jam-packed with guitar solos, Viking choirs, spoken-word ::
:: segments, and a shitload of atmosphere. In the end, it's ::
:: great having the concept complete but "I" and "II" get the ::
:: point across more effectively. ::
:: ::
:: However, for all the love I have for this album, Herbrand ::
:: Larsen's master has a bit too much of an "Enslaved quality" ::
:: and the compression is much too high for something itching ::
:: for fuller dynamics. Furthermore, the band has really ::
:: stepped beyond their comfort zone - if they truly have one - ::
:: and not everything works. For how great they are, the ::
:: "┼sgards Fall" pieces and "Odr" are a touch on the long side ::
:: and many of the elements don't completely mesh (in ::
:: particular, the punkish vocal approach of the verses in ::
:: "III" and the misplaced guitar-wankery toward the end of ::
:: "IV"). These issues aside, the band continues to convince me ::
:: of their greatness after two full decades, and raunijaR is ::
:: just another page in that story. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
\: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/
__\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2015 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__
\\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO///
\ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: /
:: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | ::
: :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: :
:: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | ::
:: | | \ :|: / | | ::
: : | . ` ::: ' . | : :
. . | : ::: : | . .
| :::....:::....::: |
: ::::::::::::::::: :
. :::''``:::''``::: .
: ::: :
. ::: .
.:.
: