1349 is a true violent passion that lost its violence on Revelations of the Black Flame but not its passion. I seem to be the definite minority in that I actually liked the last album. I think if you listened to this new one first and then went back to Revelations of the Black Flame it might grow on more people. Not only do they breathe spears once again, but you can expect some stab wounds. Tom G. Warrior produces, a step up from co-mixing.
Revelations was a huge departure, obviously, no need for me to express the obvious, but what offended many, I daresay, was not the new sound but the unexpected departure of the old style. Well, hear now that stepping stone. Demonoir is the missing link between old and new directions and it seems the band took all the bad press to heart. Here is a definite nod to all their faithful fans, yet not a toss out the baby with the bath water rejection of their Revelations ideas.
The title track is a slow passion piece with heavy riffs and stripped back drumming yet it is not without its flourishes and subtle noodlings. “Tunnel of Set” is a suitably ominous intro, then blasting drums take us back in time immediately on “Atomic Chapel,” yet there is no dragon chasing going on. This is a Frost display piece for sure, but we also hear vocal effects, ambient noise effects in the background, and minimally, the straight on noise that comes out in the next “Tunnel of Set.” Then it is more “Hey Frost, it’s your turn,” again with “When I Was Flesh” and this time there is also a melodic lead guitar line in evidence. Then it is more tunnel vision followed by “Psalm 7:77,” the fastest yet, but not straight through, searing your flesh with intensity, slicing your flesh with razor sharp leads, and breaking your ear drums with sonic distortions. My favorite track is “Pandemonium War Bells,” slower, harsher, especially harsher in the vocals, lead by guitars with a heavy buzz and high clear leads low in the mix. This song builds power through repetition, and through repeated listens.
I’m sure many of you will not wish to shed your tunnel vision and get a better view of your horizons and will end up just skipping all the tunnel tracks, but then that is what most likely will happen with the live set anyhow, which is why I’m glad they incorporated some of the noise track stuff into the traditionally rendered songs as well.
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just another amazing band that the majority of people simply don’t understand. such a clear path from the beginning to the end and yet people always seem to think that bands need to appease them and play what they want to hear.wrong.
on Jul 5th, 2010 at 19:53These guys have always really bored me after “Liberation”…that album had something unique about it…everything since them (except the …black flame album, which came of like wannabe DsO to these ears) has seemed like painfully generic Norse-core to me, this one included, although I did like it better than “Hellfire”.
on Jul 6th, 2010 at 10:31love this record. the blasting is fucking crazy, and it’s just really dark, nasty BM that proves that Norway will always be the throne of Black Metal hatred.
on Jul 7th, 2010 at 21:41