Pulver

Shortly after their 2005 promo, the Swedish depressive black metal band Lifelover would go on to release their first studio album in 2006, Pulver. This led to a cult following toward the band, and Lifelover pretty much cemented themselves in DSBM history forever. However, it didn't happen quickly; in fact, it was more of a walk outside on a bleak Monday morning. Let's start the review.

One reason why some people turned away from Lifelover was because of their sound. Lifelover's sound is hard to describe on this album, and, fuck it, every other album by them, it really is. Sometimes, it's near-impossible for me to tell what genre some songs are- are they really DSBM? Sometimes, their songs sound gloomy, as in Stockholm and MS Salmonella. Sometimes, they evoke a feeling of false or fucked up joy, as in Nackskott. However, I can't get enough of it. There's something pretty about the mix of their sound and disturbing lyrics that sound like a nightmare when mixed together, but end up being perfection when played by the band members such as Kim Carlsson, Jonas Bergqvist, and others.

The vocals are pretty good. They're not the run-of-the-mill screams and shrieks. Well, okay, sometimes they are, but Kim's voice is a good one for this album. He can manipulate it beyond recognition. His vocals sound like they belong in post-punk/pop songs, but the melodies of the songs here are just that. They fit like a puzzle piece. Not much more to say.

The instruments and the melodies are fucking perfect. They can get stuck in your head quickly, as in Mitt Oppna Oga, Nackskott, and Karlek - Becksvart Melankoli, and can be dark, such as in Sondag, Stockholm, and Herrens Hand. They evoke the feelings of isolation, depression, and gloom amazingly. That's all I have to say for Pulver, and I'd highly recommend this album to start your DSBM journey.