Under the alias of ‘Zornheym’, bassist/guitarist Tomas Nilsson, played in Dark Funeral from 2011-to 2014, and now he and some of his Swedish metal pals (notably Diabolical drummer Angst and Facebreaker’s Richard Bendler on vocals) has formed his own band under that moniker but those expecting anything like Dark Funeral will be sorely disappointed, as Zornheym play a form of ‘extreme symphonic melodic metal’. Basically, it’s melodic black/death metal metal with lots of symphonics and choirs, and it’s pretty good.

Produced and engineered by Sverker Widgren (October Tide, Demonical, Diabolical, Centinex), everything here sounds clean and top notch, and luckily the music largely matches the ambition and scope of the overall presentation (the album comes in a A5 digipack with graphics/comics relating to all the songs). The music itself has obvious comparisons to the likes of Dimmu Borgir/ Cradle of Filth /Carach Angren and such, and it’s valid, but the riffs has roots in Gothenburg melodic death and melodic black metal like Dissection at its core.

It’s not quite as extreme or chaotic as the likes of Maladie or Ne Obliviscaris, as it’s much more restrained and composed with verse chorus structures. Opener and first single “The Opposed”, is a pretty good indicator of whats to come but a fairly safe mid paced track. “A Silent God”, is where things pick up a little bit with a really nice opening bombastic salvo and some cool lead work from Zornheym himself and some well done clean vocals. “Trifecta of Horrors” has a more urgent black metal delivery and pace with a dramatic mid song orchestral break. There is bit of a misstep for “Whom The Nights Brings…” due to slight over use of clean vocals and some more commercialized riffage.

The album ends with 2 long tracks in the 6 + minute “Decessit Vita Patris” and the 8 minute “Hestia”, and they are the album’s best cuts with more varied delivery and dynamics, the prior could indeed  be a Carach Angren track with a definite narrative, including some haunting female vocals. the latter closes out with an appropriate atmospheric monkish chants and instrumentation, completing the album’s theme of a mental institution.

A solid album from a  group of old pros and it shows, and i look forward to seeing how Nilsson takes and elevates this interesting project in the future.

[Visit the band's website]

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