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September 3, 2010 |
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01. I Am Abomination
02. Nathicana
03. Sculptor Of Flesh
04. Celestial Deconstruction
05. To Rottendom
06. From The Deeps
07. Slaves To Slaughter
08. Hellfire
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Just as NILE have been labeled as the saviors of Death Metal, 1349 have been regarded by some as saviors of old school Norwegian Black Metal. I’ve had problems accepting that as they've come across as a band in a similar vein to more recent DARK FUNERAL with the distinction of having a better drummer and don't scream "Satan" every couple minutes. The style of old school Black Metal was played with repetitious tremolo riffs, fuzzy guitars, poor production (sometimes intentionally), screaming vocals a bit disconnected from the music, and a sad, cold and/or dark atmosphere that was supposed to induce sort of a grim trance. DARKTHRONE were the first to utilize all of these characteristics time and time again and that is why we have so many DARKTHRONE clones today. On the other hand, I know where the fans are coming from.
So many bands in recent years have changed styles, incorporated new elements as well as the demise of many class acts would leave the genre listeners desperate and craving more, wondering if the fact that their scene is starting to stagnate is a sign that the end to the scene might be approaching. Although I think such proclamations are premature, I also believe that fans have been waiting for a great and new pure Black Metal band. While I may not believe that 1349 may be, technically, a pure Black Metal band, they're close enough.
Don't be fooled: this is Black Metal through and through; just don't expect to find a ton from their black metal ancestry here. No, 1349 are a part of the new era of Black Metal, taking the reins from "Battles In The North" style IMMORTAL, who often played their music as if they were headed towards war atop frozen mountains with frozen ice winds freezing their frosty flesh. The distinction between the two is that 1349 want to scorch the listener's ears while their Black Metal ancestors wanted to give them frostbite.
1349 wisely mix some Death and Thrash into their Black Metal blend, change tempos just enough to not become too monotonous and allow their music to earn the right of naming their album title "Hellfire" with enough of a warm and fuzzy feeling to singe the hair off a pig. These guys know how to further scorch boiling skin. 1349 could have easily fallen into the trap of allowing each song to sound identical to one another ridden with genre clichés, but each track is identifiable from one another, which leads me to believe that these coal-cored boys have what it takes to last in their overtly overpopulated scene.
"I Am Abomination" kick starts this mountain of might as, unlike many of their Black Metal brethren, they don't use any intro track to build you up. They save a second long segment of Ravn (vocals) saying "Hellfire" before the detonation of tremolo strikes that sets the stage for the full barrage of weaponry. This is a pleasant and memorable opening track. Played at loud volumes, this would keep a Christian Narcoleptic awake until the four horsemen come home. Although lead guitars have been (traditionally) buried in the muddied ground of a Norwegian spring day, the musicianship is admirable across the board. Ravn's vocals are a bit more death-thrashy (ala CELTIC FROST) than before, which adds an interesting element into the mix. While deeper than traditional black vox, it fits in well with the lower guitar tuning and pushed back drum kit. He sounds like another discorded instrument and using a deeper throat allows him to settle in nicely.
I do expect some fans to be disappointed that they are not as high as on "Liberation" or "Beyond The Apocalypse", but I feel that the style he uses here fits better than the aforesaid albums.
Frost's drumming is insane. He is so fast and precise that he should be considered a machine, not a man. At times I wonder if he slows himself down as to not overtake the remainder of the band. His cymbal strikes are quite deep in the mix, only somewhat audible over the sizzle of the guitars, which is actually a good thing as it adds a tad of ambience that would not be present if everything were equal. His best work comes in "Sculptors Of Flesh" as there is not a glut of blast beats. He keeps things interesting by employing some well-timed triplets and proves that he's more than just a blasting machine and can employ variance anytime he pleases.
The track "Hellfire" times in at a surprising and amusing 13 minutes and 49 seconds (reminds me of how DANZIG's album "4" came in at 66 tracks and 60 minutes so the CD player would read a cute 66-6). Typically the intro to this track would be used at the beginning of the album but is wisely left for the climatic final track. Sounds of burning paper, a mood setting keyboard playing and some guitars in the background shedding out the sounds of evil ambivalence gets things moving. The burning paper sound either fades or is drowned out, cymbals start shaking and then the band kick in, but not in full gear. Frost's blasts are rather slow; the guitars continue to play unhurriedly and altogether create a great mood. It shifts moods slightly at about the halfway point and brings back some a tad of the grim feelings from their brothers past.
It ends with a great riff played repetitiously in the vein of the ending riff from IMMORTAL's "Withstand The Fall Of Time" (first track from "At The Heart Of Winter") until the flames come burning back in and fades on Ravn' laughter.
For those who like consistent variance and mood shifts, you might want to look elsewhere. With the exception of the intro of "Hellfire", 1349 are rather unrelenting concerning their approach, and most "cold school" purists that allow just a shred of progression as far as Black Metal is concerned should be pleased. This is quite an excellent album and doesn't shy away from being what it is. "Hellfire" makes you want to bang your head. It's hard, it's brutal, it's fast, it's angry and it wants to you to grind your teeth until they crack from the high concentration of tension and exceeds the previous two albums considerably. It doesn't offer a ton in the vein of creative ingenuity and that's the way they want it. I don't, however, consider this a classic landmark that will forever change the scene as we know it - not even close.
The potential lies in the future for them to create such an album as they have enough talent to do so, but whether or not they're able to evolve into a first-class act or remain as a second tier band unable to invoke the interests of those outside the Black Metal landscape remains to be seen.
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