Gates of Muspel

The third album from these Swedish black metallers sees them tighten up a package of energetic folk metal, exhilarating abrasion, and progressive virtuosity. What makes Karmanjaka stand out in this regard is how they have used the violent origins of this music in order to temper the showier aspects of modern black metal into a sombre, sincere beast that still lacks nothing in impact. ‘Gates of Muspel’ is a polished, cinematic, sweeping epic of Norse mythology inspired metal, but it retains the dirtier aspects of traditionally minded black metal, and uses these contrasting elements to complement each other, rather than becoming bogged in overworked sentimentality.

Despite the dense and angular guitars working their way through lightning fast riffing, staccato melodic death metal, epic Viking metal tracts, and odd little progressive tangents, the mix is replete with other voices and timbres. Clean guitar tones make a regular appearance as the music devolves into tasteful yet elongated improve segments which serve as the ideal contrast to the intensity of extreme metallic riffing that frontloads the album. Keyboards are used sparingly but effectively to flesh out the texture when the music settles on a melodic refrain or theme, these serve to anchor the frantic impetus of the guitars into a momentary stability before the next segment of chaos takes hold.

Drums are crisp and clear, shuffling along with the rhythmic impulses of the guitars, providing a rock-solid foundation from which all manner of fractal fills and unpredictable tempo shifts are able to grow forth. Vocals are equally schizophrenic, shifting from a mid-range hoarse rasping to semi-clean semi-distorted Viking-esque crooning.

The album is rife with unexpected pockets of jaunty folk melodies that will sit happily alongside black metal riffs of an overtly “evil” bent. These are linked together by plodding mid-paced Viking metal riffs that serve as jumping off points for the soaring lead guitars that proudly drag the music in a staunchly triumphalist direction. Karmanjaka can get away with venturing into catchy and even poppy territory at times whilst still retaining a bite of danger precisely because their music is so dense, so stuffed with purpose and ideas that the listener is forced to suspend their disbelief.

‘Gates of Muspel’ sits at the border of sensory overload, tightly stitching together adjacent but highly distinct musical traditions, but more importantly focusing these in ways that compliment and contrast with each other, and thus providing the cogs for this well oiled machine of an album.

Originally published at Hate Meditations