Finland’s Trollheim’s Grott formed in 1997. When I first encountered them they had just released what I believe to be their debut full-length, Kalt Trist Sorg Och DoD. They were a promising viking metal band, with emotional vocals rendered in grim and clean vocal styles. The musicianship was good, not great, but the long songs showed promise.

When Bizarre Troll Technology arrived, if that title didn’t give it away, the song titles more than indicated change in the Trollheim’s Grott camp. Writing about such things as Surtr burning the earth gave way to “Electronic Genocide” and “Mushroomcloud Science.” With the same members in place, they just gave up on their style and changed to industrial-tinged modern black.

Bizarre Troll Technology is 55 minutes long, and unfortunately it feels twice the length. They still use clean and harsh vocals, but not as emotionally delivered as in the past. The guitars are overly repetitive and the addition of distortion and electronic noise does nothing for me. The intro and outro are just plain wacked. “Trollsyndicate” is nearly 10 minutes long and is a convoluted mess that drags on and on, setting the tone for the whole album. “Mushroomcloud Science” is less convoluted, more structured with harsher vocals, but the keys are a bit obnoxious. At 10 minutes in length, it is about seven minutes too long. With lines like, “I am conquering you with blasphemy,” and “mesmerized by a troll-merry-go-round,” and sporting some of the most laughable corpsepaint ever, I don’t think the troll syndicate will be getting many new converts.

I’d like to say if the ideas were condensed from 55 minutes to a 20 minute EP it would be worthwhile, but as Bizarre Troll Technology stands, I can’t. Very nice cover art, though.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments