JARNVIDR - Landzplågor (FALLEN TEMPLE - CD 2015)
It’s been a while since Fallen
Temple released anything, but I think I can say that so far the majority of the
releases from this small label / distro was really great... The seven inches
from Necromantical Screams, Hin Hale and Eternal Rot are my favourites, but
also Monstraat album was something I especially appreciated. At the same time I
must say that Fallen Temple did not avoid mistakes, which in my opinion was the
10” split of Devil Lee Rot and Ajatus – truly a weak stuff, really. I am afraid
though that also this new CD, of Swedish band called Jarnvidr, is another
piece, which I am not so much fond of.
I know that “Swedish black
metal” is one of those trademarks, which can be a good selling point and bring
immediate attention, so I am not surprised that so many Swedish bands, even as
mediocre as Jarnvidr, get their music released on CD and LP. But come one!
There should be some decency and quality and in my opinion “Landzplågor” hardly
delivers either of them. Each song follows the old, well known, recipes for
obscure, cold and harsh black metal: simple, mostly fast riffing, lo-fi bunker
production, croaky, raw vocals… Primitive black metal, so many times played and
heard before. “Landzplågor” doesn’t really offer anything exceptional and I
doubt it will bring a lot of attention and praise, unless the old Thule / Taake
demos are your favourite recordings of all time. There’s some variation within
the album (but I would definitely get rid of all those useless intros!), even
some really not so bad fragments (like “Vapenoffer”), where Jarnvidr shows some
potential, but the majority of this album is simply dull and uninspiring. As
said already, you’ve heard it countless times before, many times in way better
execution, but also some even worse stuff. Jarnvidr is somewhere in between… average
harsh cold black metal. If you need another such album, then get “Landzplågor”,
as there are only 333 copies, but if you’re more demanding listener then simply
let it go and grab something more worthy. By the way, I laugh when I read that
guy from this band says “I’m not into black metal of today, no good bands
anywhere, good records” blabla… well, it surely fits well his band and his
album, as it surely is no good at all. And I am so glad to know dozens of way
more killer black metal bands of today than Jarnvidr.
Standout track: “Vapenoffer”
Final rate: 55/100
My comment seems to have disappeared. Anyway, i repeat; i did not write the text you have quoted me (one of the "admins" of the facebook page) from. Jarnvidr is also not "his band", if you open up the booklet for one second you can see all the participants on that album. The band has not released any LP, but several labels have sent requests. If you dont like the album, fine, but you could at least get your facts right before you start writing!
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