Ofte jeg drømmer mig død

Album structure: Very good, even if a little off-balance at the end. The acoustic guitar with synth strings intro is nicely recapped between the fourth and fifth track; in fact, it's a very cool compositional technique that is used (I'll let you hear and judge that for yourself). In terms of intensity, tracks 2 and 5 are in a tie for first, which is a nice balance in a 6-track structure. I felt that there was a big lull in the action during track 3, but oh well; it's difficult to keep up that kind of intensity for too long.

Other moments of note: the album does a good job of gradually drawing you in. At approximately 10 minutes into the album (perhaps halfway through track 2) was when I felt hooked by the material and the overall atmosphere. For some listeners, this might be too long; for some, this is just enough.

It might be me, but I really appreciated the subtle homage to the opening of Metallica's "Blackened."

My one big point of contention regarding the structure is the end of the album. The album peaks midway through track 5. This late placement would be fine on a 6-track album if track 6 is going to be your epic, 19-minute conclusion. However, that's not the case here, both on the track level (track 5 ends too soon; the peak is so strong that the rest of the track seems arbitrary), and on the album level, as track 6 isn't enough to hold up the end. This isn't a huge deal, but for those who enjoy consuming entire albums at once may have some issue with it.

Timbre/Production: 90% positive. For a one-person outfit, there is a clear awareness of all parts and their respective place in the layering and balance. There are times when the vocals get lost or folded into the texture a bit too much, but it's not going to ruin the album for you (especially if you don't know Danish).

The huge "what the fuck?" moment regarding production and balance comes at the beginning (luckily, it's fixed by track 2). We get this very clear and present-sounding acoustic/synth intro, then comes the "Blackened" homage, and then...it's as if the levels were cut by 25%. The remainder of the track sounds quieter than the intro, which shouldn't be right. Track 2 starts and everything is fine, so I'm not sure what happened.

Originality/Innovation: The mix of folk influences, black, and blackgaze is well done. I especially appreciated the transition to a more glazy sound in track 2; it provides a nice balance to the first 15 minutes of the album. Having heard a little of the previous release, you can tell that improvements in composition were made and the focus is more clear.

A very good album for the most part. Besides one issue with production and the overall structure being a little weak at the end of the album, I strongly recommend it.