__________.____ ______________________________ .__ _______ ________
\______ \ | \_ _____/\_ _____/\______ \ |__|\ \ / _____/
| | _/ | | __)_ | __)_ | | \| |/ | \/ \ ___
| | \ |___ | \ | \ | ` \ / | \ \_\ \
|______ /_______ \/_______ //_______ //_______ /__\____|__ /\______ /
\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/
artist: Skjolden
title: Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur
year: 2025
genre: Black Metal
type: Album
label: Independent
language: English
rel. date: 2025-06-20
source: WEB/MP3
quality: CBR 320kbps / 44.1 kHz / Full Stereo
runtime: 00:33:58
size: 84.87 MB
rip date: 2025-06-22
source url: https://www.deezer.com/album/754537731
tracklist:
1. In Resplendent Obscurity 4:48
2. The Fever Swamp Of Magickal Thought 5:43
3. Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur 6:23
4. Keeper Of The Silent Heart 3:47
5. While Dying 3:58
6. Can't Kill My Love 4:46
7. Narthex Terminus 4:33
release notes:
Overflowing from idle hands unto surrealistic transcendental encounter
Minneapolis, Minnesota-based solo melodic black metal project SKJOLDEN
introduces itself with a depth charge of memorably struck riffs and
eerily resonant cacophony on this nightsky gazing debut full-length
album. Through familiar signature craft 'Insouciant Metaphysical
Grandeur' grants the ear instant rapport, access to the illustrative and
reaching envision of the artist as they go readily crashing through this
half hour+ exploration in seven pieces. Aglow with stellarly keys and
thunderous within the gallop of its weighty rhythmic layering this
humble enough self-directed venture easily hooks into ear per its
inspired melodious thrust.
Skjolden was created by Carl Skildum (Inexorum, Majesties, Antiverse) in
late 2024 as a personal side-project which has thus far been entirely
self-directed in terms of composition, performance, curation and render.
Named for an ancestral village and comprised of riff-built pieces during
a period of downtime this project not only kinda confirms at least two
of the fellowe's main bands have new albums in the works but provides
something substantial, relevant to any fan's interests in the interim.
The style is melodic black metal which defies an exacting semblance of
'old school' or ultramodern ideation though I would suggest there are
fewer late 90's melodic death metal riffs here compared to 'Equinox
Vigil' and especially 'Vast Reaches Unclaimed'. There is little chance
that you'll not like this record if you're already a fan of Skildum's
related bands, unless the use of programmed drums grinds your gears.
Even if I were to take the sternest stance possible and consider the
material on 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur' a collection of
leftovers, riff detritus glowed up into magickal formae, we must
consider the realm of solo melodic black/death metal acts the world over
and -will- ultimately find the majority of said arena lacking in any
comparable knack for layered arrangement or personalized style. That
resonance and a taste for affecting melodies which draws from both
tradition and a uniquely layered conception of the artist's own is
more-or-less Skildum's signature, unmissable here if you've spent any
serious time with Inexorum or Majesties. This variant still places the
guitars front and center, shoves the vocals down in a bunker too, but
now also brings in keyboards/synthesizers to include "additional color
and lead elements" for these songs. Their inclusion is subtle yet
profound in the sense that it adds to the dueling lead voice of this
highly melodious work but also the atmospheric rouse of Skolden, an
overall differently angled tonal emission which is most pronounced on
the first half.
Skildum's arrangements typically involve four rhythm guitar voicings
composed with the hand of a choir director, staggering and harmonizing
pieces of his own intricate design into beauteous and dramatically shot
statement. While some of these arcs linger in refrain and others circle
back toward a major hook of some sort most songs do both, connecting to
the listener through at least one "hard rock" structured statement per
song. This makes for infectious melodic metal which is essentially
rooted in the breakthroughs of the mid-90's as black and death metal
found some sophistication beyond an 80's centric thrash and heavy metal
education. The first three songs on 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur'
are anthemic in this sense, riveting in their pipeline-riding roll
through surges of riffs at a quickened, dramatic swipe.
The vocals are incredibly low for my own taste on opener "In Resplendent
Obscurity", though cranking the volume only enhances the immersive folds
of the layers on display. Taking a closer look at the clash beyond the
electric organesque keys ~2:27 minutes in, the tension'd dance of the
rhythm guitar detail at that mark speaks to the clever hand of the
guitarist as any given movement leads somewhere downstream and back to
the gratification of all those guitars falling together at once into
their righteous hook of a main riff. There are many details to peck at
otherwise, such as the distorted keys that open the album, but the
general effect is sweeping, impatient and fitting enough as introduction
to something slightly more black metallic in Skolden's hands.
The up front skull-grippers, the songs that'd inspired many a repeat
listen came with "The Fever Swamp of Magickal Thought" and of course the
inescapable soar of the title track. The former is both cacophonic and
richly melodious, a zephyrous bluster that finds its focus beneath
glowing keys, the latter is arguably a bit more Majesties-leaning in the
presentation of its leading harmony up front which serves as an
undeniable hook on my part. Though the use of keyboards/synth has
already been a point of marvel up 'til that point it was "Insouciant
Metaphysical Grandeur" that'd pushed their incorporation to a higher
standard in some sense, no only as more frequent stellarly accompaniment
but also nearly two full minutes of cosmic-ray soaked keys which
essentially play out the conclusion of Side A. Again, those first three
pieces should be enough to charm any devout fan of melodic black/death
metal and especially if you're more likely to focus on the guitar work
as main directive.
Much as I appreciate the impact of the first half of this album on the
first ten or so spins each of these seven songs found some manner of
angle into brain over time, even the sort of modern melodeath jig n'
thrash of "Keeper of the Silent Heart" works as a brief hit of speed in
the context of the full listen. The bigger surprise was probably "Can't
Kill My Love" which, despite bearing a song title fitting for a
clandestine Kiss album in the mid-80's, manages to be a standout piece
per a well-developed lead guitar thread in its first half. The second
half of the ~34 minute ride doesn't quite build upon the first three
pieces in an equally exciting way but ultimately delivers a consistent,
full-length apropos thought.
For my own taste Skjolden generates some admirable inspiration and
generally memorable work despite being a side-project, a "bedroom" black
metal deal created from lingering riff ideas. The lot of 'Insouciant
Metaphysical Grandeur' is a bit front-loaded for my own taste (and a
human drummer would've been rad) yet it yields an above-average work, a
record which isn't just succinct but efficient in delivering the hooks
and odd resonances of the artist's hand without tasking the ear with the
muck of typical ideation. Is it a bit too close to two of the fellowe's
other projects? Sure, to some degree the humming reach of Skildum's work
is exceedingly familiar in technique though as a fan this album was
enough of a new angle that I see potential for further distinction
wherever it may go in the future. Otherwise the inspired and sincere
tone of this album sells itself, particularly to fans of the sub-genre,
as a feat which might not be hard as nails or darker than thou but still
finds a plane above-and-beyond the norm via appreciable self-directed
action. A high recommendation.
-- MystificationZine.com