_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _
___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___
| / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ |
| . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . |
| .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. |
_ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _
\\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | //
\ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | /
. | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | .
| | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | |
.... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | ....
| ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` |
|.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....|
. ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. .
_____________:_____________ _____________:_____________
_ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _
// __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\
_ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _
\\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/f3!///
- -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- -
- -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ -
: : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : :
___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___
_\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_
/_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\
/// . . : : . . \\\
/: :\
/:: Artist :: Shining ::\
:: Album :: X - Varg Utan Flock ::
:: Year :: 2021 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . ::
:: Label :: Cianeto Discos R.date :: 15.02.2022 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: C253 Size :: 77,10 MB __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 261kbps : .
. Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint-Stereo .
. .
Website ::
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 01. Svart Ostoppbar Eld 07:11 ::
:: 02. Gyllene Portarnas Bro 06:39 ::
:: 03. Jag Σr Din Fiende 07:05 ::
:: 04. Han Som Lurar Inom 08:03 ::
:: 05. Tolvtusenfyrtioett 02:53 ::
:: 06. Mot Aokigahara 09:33 ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 41:24 min ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: A dangerous, unpredictable entity, full of raw emotion and ::
:: earnestness, æX Varg Utan FlockÆ is the greatest Shining ::
:: album so far, and I admit that I didnÆt see it coming. ::
:: ::
:: In the early days I was an enthusiastic Shining advocate. ::
:: In the early to mid 2000s Niklas Kvarforth presented a ::
:: style of depressive suicidal black metal that was ::
:: chillingly emotive and powerful. It was more personal and ::
:: gut-wrenching than the welkin worshippers from neighbouring ::
:: Norway and what it lacked in grandiosity it made up for in ::
:: destructive bleakness. Yet it had its limits, and after æV ::
:: HalmstadÆ I drifted away somewhat, despite keeping half an ::
:: eye on each subsequent release. They were all decent ::
:: albums, but I felt that I had enough Shining in the ::
:: collection and stopped buying them. ::
:: ::
:: Then I heard 'X Varg Utan Flock' and it was like floodgates ::
:: opened within me. This album presents all of the triumphant ::
:: elements of Shining in the one package, yet with each facet ::
:: brought to new levels of emotional brilliance. ::
:: ::
:: Opening track æSvart Ostoppbar EldÆ begins with a sinister ::
:: spoken introduction before a simple guitar riff builds up ::
:: to the official launch. The thrashing drums and haunting ::
:: two note tremolo riffing that Shining have done in the past ::
:: meets a huge Tom G Warrior style ôUrgh!ö There's a touch of ::
:: lunacy in the desperate vocal as Kvarforth growls, screams ::
:: and emotes his sickened rage. Just prior to the three ::
:: minute mark the atmospheric acoustic guitar picking comes ::
:: in û a perfect and haunting change of mood and pace. It's ::
:: my favourite Shining song and a masterpiece of power and ::
:: pathos. ::
:: ::
:: æGyllene Portarnas BroÆ presents an acoustic section before ::
:: an intense metal explosion. æJag Ar Din FiendeÆ swings ::
:: madly at a great fist-pumping tempo, another Warrior style ::
:: ôUrghö introducing the main riff. æHan Som Lurar InomÆ is a ::
:: fast-pace and somewhat disorienting work of dissonant ::
:: guitar and claustrophobic density before pulling back into ::
:: a hugely catchy groove. æTolvtusenfyrtioettÆ, a Chopin ::
:: piano piece played loosely, as if in a booze-soaked ::
:: melancholy, works as the perfect palate cleanser and is a ::
:: massive surprise. ItÆs a stunning inclusion and precisely ::
:: the sort of unpredictability that Kvarforth needs at this ::
:: point of his career. ::
:: ::
:: The final track æMot AokigaharaÆ is a true epic, beginning ::
:: with strummed acoustic guitar and a deep semi-clean vocal ::
:: from Kvarforth, before slowing down even further to enter ::
:: the haunting ôI was born December 1983àö section. ItÆs ::
:: genuinely creepy, cryptic and emotive. The extremity of the ::
:: blasting movement that follows is some of the most intense ::
:: metal that Shining have ever recorded. This track is an ::
:: outstanding way to end the album. ::
:: ::
:: KvarforthÆs vocals warrant especial praise. His voice is ::
:: utterly phenomenal. His screams are genuinely powerful and ::
:: unhinged, with rolling rÆs and impassioned shouts sending ::
:: the listener chills. Add to this his whispers, spoken word, ::
:: and moments of clean singing, and you have an absolute ::
:: master of this destructive craft. The degree of dedication ::
:: and the extremity of his performance is mesmerising. ::
:: ::
:: The musicians who accompany him on this hellish ride are ::
:: also deserving of accolades, especially the guitar work of ::
:: Peter Huss and Euge Valovirta. The liner notes of my CD ::
:: version donÆt stipulate who plays the outstandingly ::
:: dexterous and sometimes dazzling solos (except for an Andy ::
:: La Rocque guest solo on æJag Ar Din FiendeÆ), and apart ::
:: from being exceedingly good fun, theyÆre effective at ::
:: lifting the black metal beneath it into different ::
:: territory. The production and mixing of Andy La Rocque is ::
:: also perfect for this type of music; itÆs raw yet with a ::
:: clarity that allows every hit to resonate, every solo to ::
:: shine and every acoustic moment to sound utterly haunting. ::
:: ::
:: The album artwork is a simple yet effective æXÆ made from ::
:: crossed wrists, with hands dirtied by what looks like ::
:: either dried blood or mud û possibly both. ItÆs understated ::
:: yet sinister. The booklet is stylish, although with ::
:: everything except the production notes written in Swedish, ::
:: there isnÆt a lot of reading for English speakers. The ::
:: Swedish lyrics remain a mystery, although admittedly seem ::
:: exotic and disturbing because of their elusiveness. ::
:: ::
:: This is an album that is at once adventurous yet desperate; ::
:: haunting and yet personally urgent. And it's evidence ::
:: enough to pronounce Kvarforth as not just one of metal's ::
:: greatest vocalists, but one of its most talented ::
:: songwriters too. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
\: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/
__\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2022 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__
\\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO///
\ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: /
:: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | ::
: :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: :
:: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | ::
:: | | \ :|: / | | ::
: : | . ` ::: ' . | : :
. . | : ::: : | . .
| :::....:::....::: |
: ::::::::::::::::: :
. :::''``:::''``::: .
: ::: :
. ::: .
.:.
: