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/:: Artist :: Ereb Altor ::\
:: Album :: HΣlsingem÷rker ::
:: Year :: 2025 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CD . ::
:: Label :: Hammerheart Records R.date :: 2025-12-05 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: HHR 2025-01 S.date :: 2025-02-07 __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 268kbps :..
. Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo .
. Size :: 105.62MB .
. .
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 1. Valkyrian Fate 5:52 ::
:: 2. HΣlsingem÷rker 6:20 ::
:: 3. ─ttestupan 5:28 ::
:: 4. Vi Σr M÷rkret 5:33 ::
:: 5. TrΣldom 6:58 ::
:: 6. The Waves, the Sky and the Pyre 7:10 ::
:: 7. The Last Step 8:20 ::
:: 8. Midvinter (bonus track) 6:33 ::
:: ::
:: ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 52:14 ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
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+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: Most bands strongly influenced by Bathory circa æHammerheartÆ ::
:: or æTwilight of the GodsÆ donÆt get around to developing their ::
:: own style. Some might tweak things a bit û better vocals, ::
:: either more or fewer extreme metal passages û but very few ::
:: manage to actually turn the influence into something completely ::
:: their own the way that Ereb Altor does, to the point where ::
:: æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ really doesnÆt sound all that much like ::
:: Bathory anymore. Sure, itÆs still a relatively slow, epic, and ::
:: grandiose style of metal that really only could hail from ::
:: Scandinavia, but itÆs a uniquely powerful take on the style. ::
:: ::
:: Like many bands with similar influences, Ereb Altor employs ::
:: slow, huge-sounding riffs that have been carefully layered to ::
:: create an overwhelming sound that appears to emulate the ::
:: vastness of nature. However, Ereb Altor sets itself apart in ::
:: two very important areas. First off, their riffs are simply far ::
:: more memorable than those of many of their peers, often having ::
:: a melodic quality that is much more prominent than has become ::
:: the norm. Secondly, Crister æMatsÆ OlssonÆs clean vocals û ::
:: think Simen Hestnµs, but more controlled and a slightly clearer ::
:: timbre û is among the best the genre has to offer these days. ::
:: ::
:: While Ereb Altor isnÆt really doing anything radically ::
:: different from what they have in the past on æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ, ::
:: itÆs simply done much better here. The production appears to be ::
:: ever so slightly beefed-up, which makes the wall of keyboards ::
:: and guitars sound more massive than ever before. The band also ::
:: seems to just get better and better at creating vocal harmonies ::
:: that enhance the atmosphere of each song. In addition, where ::
:: the songs with Swedish lyrics just seemed to work better with ::
:: the overall feel on the last few albums, the English-language ::
:: songs are just as impressive on æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ. ::
:: ::
:: An album like æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ is best experienced ::
:: front-to-back. Having said that, there are some stand-out ::
:: tracks. Opening with æValkyrian FateÆ was a wise choice for ::
:: drawing in newcomers, as it represents the overall style of the ::
:: album well, but also is the most traditional heavy metal track ::
:: here. æVi ─r M÷rkretÆ might just have the most grandiose sound ::
:: on the album, while æTrΣldomÆ has the most pronounced black ::
:: metal influences. æ─ttestupanÆ feels subtly progressive, ::
:: certainly more so than anything the band has done before, and I ::
:: love how æThe Waves, the Sky and the PyreÆ just keeps building ::
:: in intensity. The climactic æThe Last StepÆ is the perfect ::
:: closer. ::
:: ::
:: Since I personally got familiar with Ereb AltorÆs music through ::
:: the great epic doom metal band Isole, which has nearly the same ::
:: line-up, I inadvertently always ended up comparing the two ::
:: bands. æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ might just be the first Ereb Altor ::
:: album that impresses me more than Isole û although the ::
:: fantastic æNattramnÆ (2015) certainly came really close. In a ::
:: metal scene full of bands that are trying to one-up each other ::
:: in terms of speed, technicality or bombast, itÆs amazing to ::
:: have a band like Ereb Altor that manages to perfect the sound ::
:: they already had the way they do on æHΣlsingem÷rkerÆ. Highly ::
:: recommended. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
\: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/
__\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2025 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__
\\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO///
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