Mellom skogkledde aaser

Kampfar deserves some acknowledgement in being responsible for helping form traditional folk-inspired “Black Metal” in the mid-nineties and while perhaps not kick-starting the band’s meteoric rise to the genre’s most legendary halls, Mellom Skogkledde Aaser does debut a timeless sound that remains uniquely poised and especially true to the “Pagan” scene. Employing much of the fiery antagonistic aggression one would expect from an authentic effort of the genre, Kampfar goes on to boast a folky “Norse rock” kicker and in augmenting a blackened Norwegian scene slots rightfully into place at the backend of “Black Metal’s” second wave. As with any prospect of this most fertile era in history, a bar-setting debut is simply an expected piece of the puzzle. And so, years following their ’94 EP, here we have, in all its masterful “Pagan” charm, a debut that tests the boundaries between “Folk Metal” and what may be deemed albeit optimistically pure untainted “Black Metal”. Mellom Skogkledde Aaser, rich in the sheer infectiousness of honest and simple melodic overtones, exemplifies rustic “Pagan Metal” ideology at its very best.

Yet it comes as no surprise that the record itself, and, so, the legacy of Kampfar, begins with something as brash as a barrage of vile shrieks. But while not setting the necessary tone for an impactful album, this guttural additive is not only effectively reprised – offering a trinket-like quality versus other more traditional sounding folk-inspired works – but is microcosmic of the band’s underlying approach. How riffs are linked with apparent ease without interlude, idiosyncrasies in the hellish tapering of vocals into a grim, despondent wail; all indicative of a strong blackened sound that offers something just a little extra in terms of feel and overall musicianship – something warranted of a “Pagan” band in which a folkloric theme is central. For example, the album’s taciturn nature does not preclude a very apparent presence of progressiveness; a feature easily spotted in tracks like Valdogg that sift through both heavy-driven sections as well as laxer, deeper melodies while, in support, well-crafted rhythms juggling stoutly simple beats, hearty blastbeats, and double-kick-driven passages provide great rhythmic substance to the album’s vast aesthetic sound.

Other vital tracks like Valgalderkvad and Hymne notably form the spine of the album featuring more conspicuous climaxes (unfortunately this proves somewhat a schlep to come across throughout) and epic atmospheres. The intro of the former portrays the depiction in the sleeve art effectively – what is that, an accordion? – a short-lived tranquil tune that is quickly lain to rest by a salvo of gut-wrenching blast-happy brutality. This track in particular wields a Pagan-backed arsenal like sonorous vocal splits, climbing bass lines, and a seemingly indiscernible arrangement of obscure instrumentation. Beyond its unforgiving nature, orchestration and musicianship are truly central in Mellom Skogkledde Aaser, its cold demeanor a manifestation of the backgrounds of the duo featured in this ameliorated “Black Metal” sound. What results is pure and true and should be of especial interest to those seeking a slower-paced and more spacious blackened experience. In short, functional “Black” and “Folk” riff fusions, liberal use of chants and clean vocal accompaniments, no sustained use of blastbeats or thrash-style drumming and lyrical content inspired at large by Norse mythology is choicest “Pagan Metal” material. A gem and benchmark for extreme metal fusion.