Må ljuset aldrig nå oss mer

Conjoined efforts between the black metal and rock genres are not unheard of. As early as the mid-1990’s have bands been pioneering this unusual style. Early on, certain phoenix’s were rising from the ashes of the cold and unforgiving genre of black metal and professing the honourable notion of such music. Bands like Fleurety, In The Woods… and Forgotten Woods could not be concealed from revealing their true identities and with it, they were beginning to fuse small doses of rock music into their black metal soundscapes and it worked wonders for the genre, giving it a more experimental feel than was previously felt over the early years of the second wave which paved the way for blasphemous incantations of a unrelenting cold character. Though this sub-genre has only seen a minor rise in popularity over the last decade, and very few musicians take on the expansive style, it has dished out some of black metals most consistent performers, most notably from the minds of the Forgotten Woods crew, who have also forged a career with their most inspired creation of Joyless, one of today’s leading depressive rock bands.

Though most people’s minds rush back to thoughts of Lifelover when considering the very best this lowly sub-genre has to offer, Joyless were amongst the pioneers of this occult black rock style which Lik also perform in today. Though Joyless cropped up a few years after bands like Fleurety were signalling their intent, the Norwegian act were gaining more recognition for the style that saw the sexy and sultry voice of Ida lead the way. There are many things which make Joyless a true legend of the black rock scene and this includes the innovative use of such a distinctive female vocalist, who shines despite the depressive characteristics of the caliginous band. With bands like Lifelover currently stealing the limelight away from the creators and devilish acts like Sweden’s Lik, it is hard for others to get a grasp on the current market because most seem content at putting all their eggs into one basket and sticking with the decent, but not terrific brand of music Lifelover are issuing instead of exploring the outer limits where bands like Lik roam in obscurity. I’m surprised that Lik haven’t, as of yet, been eaten up by the public who seem to love this gloomy style. Considering the fact that this is a sister band to the well known and well liked Armagedda, I’m even more surprised that more people have seemingly missed this bands existence.

Perhaps the occult black rock description is off putting to the average fan of really forceful black metal that mostly entertains raw soundscapes in a typically abrasive Swedish style. Also making this bands omission from the public eye is the fact that they have been around a bit longer than Lifelover. The two bands have line-ups that suggest they should not be simply forgotten based on how well known the musicians are since, for example, Lifelover have the depressive icon Kim Carlsson and Lik have two well established musicians in A., and Graav, who have also taken it upon themselves to bravely attempt the black/folk hybrid with their other creation, Lönndom. Despite Lik’s adventurous aims, this debut, ‘Må Ljuset Aldrig Nå Oss Mer’ is an unequivocal stunner. It may be adventurous, it may be brave, but it is absolute and has very clear aims which make it all the more enjoyable. Sounding akin to the early Joyless sound, which is essentially a reworking of old Forgotten Woods tales, this record has a set path and is very methodical in reaching its goals. Both musicians work tirelessly together to create a really dark atmospheric piece that requires great attention to detail since it is multi-layered and has multi-functional devices that delve deeper into dark emotional patterns concerning ideas of mysticism, religion and spirituality.

There is something in the clean vocals, which are soulfully chanted as if the band were performing a ritual, which makes this a very spiritual performance, giving the band an edge over others in the field. A lot of what makes this record an undoubted success is similar to that of bands like Joyless. The unforgettable guitar riffs alongside a quirky bass which holds black metal musings in a high esteem. The bass is really driven. It possesses qualities of a black metal kind and is often very repetitive under the surface. This allows the guitars to do most of the experimenting on the surface, whilst the chanted and eerie vocals, which occasionally rely on the odd rasp here and there, spout out the religious material amidst the mystical soundscapes. The songs have a habit of plodding along before bursting into mysterious life with excellent use of an infectious drumming style which draws me back to my argument that Lik are a lot like Joyless, who also have a very similar sounding drum and percussion section, with very prominent double bass. ‘Pest Och Pina’ is a good example at how the soundscapes slowly evolve before bursting into charismatic life. ‘Må Ljuset Aldrig Nå Oss Mer’ is one hell of an unusual journey through spiritual worlds. It blends well known elements which a classic occult style. Enjoy the darkness.