For What Once Was...

In a state where most metal knowledge only goes as far as Metallica, and the few extreme metal bands are shitty Six Feet Under worshippers, Bothildir is a grim and refreshing break. The Maine black metal scene has become more prevalent in the past five years, and in my humble opinion, "For What Once Was" is the catalyst to this effect.

Grim forests and pure hatred are the key ingredients to this album. Tried and true, and sometimes overdone, but in this instance, anything else would have been a disappointment. Ardroth, the brain of the monster we know as Bothildir, has produced quite the masterpiece. His primary talent is as a drummer, however, he has proven that he can also master each other instrument. The guitars, both distorted and the bits of acoustic, are solid sounding and well played. The riffs are very rhythmic, and go well with the rest of the instruments. I also enjoyed the keyboards, something I normally disapprove of. The vocals were screechy and hateful, distantly reminding me of Bathory's, "Under the Sign of the Black Mark." The album is also filled with fuzz. I love fuzz.

The music takes you on a journey, each song complimenting the previous one. This speaks well to Ardroth's ability as a songwriter. As far as any grievances I may have, the only thing I am able to whine about is the jewel case. It was one of those ultra-thin cases for burned discs. I want to have my friends see the album on my shelf when they visit and say, "Hey, what's this? Where is this band from, somewhere in the Balkans?" And I can retort, "Nope. Just down the road, from Old Town.

Altogether, I would recommend "For What Once Was" to any fan of black metal, whether it be first wave, second wave, symphonic, melodic etc. Well done, Ardroth, well done.