I’ll admit to being initially interested in this band because Frost did the drum tracks. I read that tidbit in a catalog selling the self titled cd and ordered it immediately. That was a few years ago and after listening to this new cd Liberation, it should be obvious to all that 1349 is far more than just Frost’s astounding drumming. The main part of this Norwegian band is the phoenix that was Alvheim risen again.

This is full throttle hysteria, mostly out of control chaos that attacks from all sides at once. The only real problem I have with the sound quality is that the instruments blend together a bit too much. The drums are nice and loud which is great, but the guitars would benefit from some more separation. Covering “The Usurper” last time out set the stage for a bonus this time which is “Buried by Time and Dust” by Mayhem. One other bonus is an H.P. Lovecraft quotation about fear.

My favorite tracks, which are numbered 11 through 20, include “Deathmarch”, a Frost contribution that is only a minute long, but a good mesmerizing bridge to the ultra fast “Pitch Black” which is also a short one. The even faster “Evil Oath” is pure chaos and intensity. Ravn has a strong voice, but little variety of delivery, in a thrash style, that works particularly well with the speed of this one. They chose the best song to name the album after and this one benefits from some slower breaks, an atmospheric ending and a longer duration.

One hell of a debut full length album, or as Candlelight puts it, “Hell Awaits!”

[Visit the band's website]

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