SVARTTJERN - Misanthropic Path of Madness (SCHWARZDORN - CD 2009)
Going back with my memories to 2008 (or was it
2009?? I just don’t know!) I remember that one day I’ve found a letter in my
mailbox with a promo CD of completely unknown Norwegian band called Svarttjern.
The name of the band didn’t ring a bell at all and the only thing, for which I
recognised it was that Carpathian Forest has a song titled “Journey Through the
Cold Moors of Svarttjern”. Anyway, since I’m a big fan of the Norwegian black
metal scene – both old and new – I played the CD right away and to this day I
remember how blown away I was by this music! At that time my favourite, currently
released, Norwegian albums were the ones from Urgehal, 1349, Vidsyn, Disiplin
or Taake, but Svarttjern jumped on the darkened throne next to them
immediately! I just couldn’t expect a better black metal devastation and
desecration than “Misanthropic Path of Madness”. My review of the album, which
I wrote back then, is here http://nbc.art.pl/recenzje.php?id=1611; it’s in Polish, but just look at
the rate, which I gave to it: maximum points, this band truly crushed me. By
the way, I also interviewed HansFyrste and this interview is here http://nbc.art.pl/wywiady.php?id=214. I might have the English version somewhere,
if I’ll find it, I’ll publish it in my blog later today.
Anyway, Svarttjern somehow remained quite
silent, maybe because HansFyrste joined Ragnarok as their new vocalist and so
the band wasn’t promoting the album properly? I was also quite surprised that
“Misanthropic Path of Madness” didn’t get as many enthusiastic reviews as I
would expect it to get. Besides, that label called Schwarzdorn isn’t the best
one out there, I have no doubts that if “Misanthropic Path of Madness” came out
on different label then it would probably get more recognised. Recently there’s
been more publicity around the band, as they’ve signed a pact with Agonia
Records and released their second LP, “Towards the Ultimate”, what was one of
the reasons why I decided to listen to the debut, as I haven’t been doing that
since about two years. Releasing new LP is also a cool opportunity to exhume
the previous one and get massacred once again.
And I fuckin did, believe me. Right with the
opening song Svarttjern slays, not bothering about taking the prisoners, just
cutting their throats with excellent, fierce riffs, fast drumming and
relentless aggression. “Code Human” (to which Svarttjern has also recorded a
video) is definitely the best track from the whole album, it evokes an evil,
cruel atmosphere right from the start and I must say that I just love those
riffs and ghastly vocals of HansFyrste. Style wise I think I can say that
Svarttjern sounds mainly very Norwegian; they have a lot in common with the
likes of 1349, Ragnarok (is it obvious? But Svarttjern is way better in my
opinion, while Ragnarok will always remain just a mediocre Norwegian band),
Tsjuder plus there are few similarities to Marduk. That fast tempo, which makes
the music so uncompromising and destructive, is being kept for a solid part of
the album, what I like a lot, but mind that Svarttjern do not avoid slow
patterns and even more melodic accents, so they try to keep the balance between
all kinds of playing, which is great of corpse, as long as they manage to
create a morbid, violent and menacing atmosphere. There’s never any monotony
here and “Code Human”, as I already wrote, is the best song from the album, it
is just a damn blast, right into your face, it’s very uncompromising and killer
track. “Stillborn Acolyte” could have been taken from 1349’s “Hellfire” LP, it
offers similar sort of fast devastation, with killer riffs like from “Sculptor
of Flesh”! And the title song, “Misanthropic Path of Madness”, is even more
uncompromising, it is just pure madness! From the other hand you’ll find here
such songs as “Ancient Shadows Revelation”, which is based on slower riffing
(although occasionally it also fastens to the speed of light), some of which
are almost like good old Darkthrone or Gorgoroth (from “Panzerfaust” and “Under
the Sign of Hell” eras).
All together “Misanthropic Path of Madness”
offers seven great songs, plus one bonus track (“Ære Fra Det Indre”, which has
slightly rawer production, I think), which is something like 30 minutes of
Norwegian black metal cult. And I must sincerely recommend Svarttjern’s debut
to all maniacs of this music; they won’t be disappointed, as this LP is just
excellent, really well composed and performed and also the production of “Misanthropic
Path of Madness” is great and powerful. This is just damn great record and a
must to have, in my opinion. I just wonder whether it’s ever been released on
vinyl or not?
Standout tracks: “Code Human”, “Misanthropic
Path of Madness”, “Stillborn Acolyte”
Final rate: 90/100
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