Origin: Norway 🇳🇴
Genre: Black Metal
From out of deep and frigid Norwegian forests come Ekrom. They’re baring offerings of wisdom and resurrecting forlorn legends of olde – black metal and folklore done the Norse way: Steeped in tradition but not as much in early 90’s revelry as perhaps you’d like it to be. Their music pays homage to the likes of Taake, Kampfar and Gehenna – the purest Norwegian black metal to stir up national pride and cultural nostalgia within the Nords. But let’s not get all gushy here. On June 6, Ekrom released their striking debut, “Uten n å digst formildelse”, and with it the scales are balanced with equal parts beauty and ancient Nordic evil.
A debut effort is “Uten n å digst formildelse”, and a battle-worthy one to say the least. A project comprised of two old souls within the Norwegian scene, Ekrom, though versed in the arts of advanced, dynamic and even avant-garde black metals, are hoisting kongeflagget high with their latest album as they hold heritage and tradition paramount. It sounds like black metal! That does not mean that it’s a throwback. And as I mentioned before, aside from the spirit of the music, “Uten n å digst formildelse” is very much an example of well-balanced, none-too-complicated contemporary Norwegian BM. And to hell with the gaudy intro, Ekrom get right to the business of leveling the hordes during the opening track – a violent onslaught of blast-ridden 1349 worship – thrashy and brutal yet elegant in the true black metal way. Satan-mongering bands like Gorgoroth and Tsjuder come to mind. But as you venture a bit deeper into tracks like “Misanthropy Void” with its mellow acoustic intro that fades into a swell of buoyant melodies not typical of the Norwegian style and the closer, “When I Enter the World of Unknown”, with its epic Dimmu Borgir-but-without-the-symphony vibes, you’ll experience a veritable myriad of styles. But never from the channels of authentic Scandinavian black metal do Ekrom stray.
A perfect vision of true Norwegian black metal? Absolutely, and it’s offered at a number of different tempos and varying levels of intensity. Summoning with open palm the great Daemons of the pit one minute and contemplating death the next in this most comprehensive of black metal albums. “Uten n å digst formildelse” channels new wave of BM influences tied to veterans like Khold, Svarttjern and Nattverd. That means that balance is key, but also aggression. And as every dark tale unfolds and as you delve deeper into where enchantment and savagery danse the night, you’ll feel as if you’re experiencing the majesty of Norwegian black metal for the first time. Behold the freezing moon as it casts its ominous glow through the fractal canopy of the forest where Gamle Erik dwells – The Devil and his beastly minions at work. One of the year’s top underground black metal releases, the cream, the standard and a fine example of how contemporary BM should sound.
9/10
Experience “My End” from “Uten n å digst formildelse” right here as presented by Edged Circle Productions:
~Jeger
