1349 is the year that the Black Death swept through Norway. It’s only fitting that a Black Metal band would eventually take such a brutal portion of time and name their band after it.

1349 came out of the ashes of Alvheim in 1997 with Ravn (vocals, drums), Tjalve (guitars), Seidemann (bass), and Balfori (guitars). Ravn and Seidemann played in Hofdingi Myrkra, which started in 1994 before becoming Alvheim.

History lessons aside, I remember the hype that the first album Liberation brought with it. With the mighty Frost from Satyricon on drums, even if they played Polka it would be guaranteed to be sick as fuck. So it was no surprise that Liberation was as phenomenal as it was. It brought back that first wave of Black Metal spirit and kicked the genre in the right direction.

They released the massive Beyond the Apocalypse and Hellfire albums to more acclaim, but took an almost Morgoth Feel Sorry for the Fanatic turn on Revelation of the Black Flame, that album was abysmal, and did not fit with any of their previous releases; it being an industrialized abortion. Demonoir was a bit of an improvement and by Massive Cauldron of Chaos and The Infernal Pathway they were back in the saddle, so to speak.

Lo and behold 2024 brings us a new album in the form of The Wolf and the King. Production-wise, of course it sounds great. Frost’s drums hit you in the chest with primitive force, guitars and bass are perfectly balanced and the bile filled vocals from Ravn.

“The God Devourer” is the initial chest-burster, mixing blasting with some thrashy sections and back again, a kind of tempo interplay if you like. Frost is precise as always, a demonic metronome capable of bashing skulls in with each whip cracking of the snare.

“Ash of Ages” is a striding Frost Giant of a track, it rolls with glacial coldness on solid riffing, and is one of my favorite tracks on the album. “Shadow Point” hits like a mortar round, coming in on isolated drums before the riffing attack begins in full force.

For me, 1349 has been a heavier Satyricon for Frost to go nuts outside of the restraint of his main band. On The Wolf and the King his drums are like a whirlwind, this could be 1349’s finest hour. The album doesn’t lag at all, as far as the brutality the riffs are menacing and the remaining tracks just add to the pain being inflicted upon your ears.

“Inferior Pathways” has a killer groove, and this might also be a second favorite track. “Inner Portal” and “The Vessel and the Storm” remind me of Satyricon’s Rebel Extravaganza.

The final two tracks “Obscura” an intense workout with some super slick riffing and precision strikes, it’s truly a fun song and the final track “Fatalist” is no different. It’s intro mounting the tension and its malevolent core is exposed when the blasts hit mid-track and then it’s back to savage double bass. A perfect end track to The Wolf and the King.

2024 has shaped up to be a great year for Black Metal and 1349 has only added to the tower of neck-snapping releases. Get this one! You won’t be sorry, and it will make a Troll out there smile.

[Visit the band's website]

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