Djevel has been around since 2009 or so. The band is one of Norway’s traditional bands, renowned for their raw and well-crafted black metal. An unbridled rawness without losing quality and very well executed, in which the instruments complement each other and yet they manage to sound like a band always ahead of their time. And that impression doesn’t go unnoticed on his new album, now released in 2021 “Tanker som riso natten” after the icy 2019 album “Ormer til armer, maane til hode“.
“Djevel” means “Devil” in Norwegian. And the devil is on the loose in this brilliant album! Trånn Ciekals and Kvitrim alternate harsh and clean vocals, and this is an interesting element in a band that maintains its raw black metal vibe throughout the entire album, relentlessly. An interesting thing about the album, apart from the beautiful cover, are the extremely long track names and the track duration around 9-10 minutes. Despite the length of the tracks, don’t be fooled, they are very well built and harmonic. There are keyboard passages and arrangements that complement the sonic bang for which Djevel is known.
Some acoustic passages like in the title track “Tanker som laugh natten” contrast but complement the idea of the album and that’s genius! And this intro flows into a brutal track: “Naar maanen formørker solen i en dødelig dans, ber jeg moder jord opp til en siste vals“, which brings raw elements but maintains a disturbing fingering throughout much of the track. One of my favorite tracks and one that properly features WHO IS Djevel. This is one of those 10-minute tracks I mentioned. And believe me, when it was over, I listened to it again. The album is almost 60 minutes long, as is characteristic of some Djevel albums, the guys don’t save their efforts, they show who they are and that they know very well what they’re doing, whether on short tracks or on long tracks.
High-end, no-frills Black Metal. Among the many acoustic passages with clean vocals, I highlight the interlude of “Vinger som tok oss over en brennende himmel, vinger som tok oss hjem” that blends these elements with a heavy Black Metal that seems taken from the second wave of Black Metal. Is this album worth listening to? Certainly! It’s already one of the best albums of 2021 and it’s Djevel, it doesn’t make sense for you not to listen or not like it. Here’s everything you’re looking for in a band and a Black Metal album!
Rate: 666
