Bergen, which is located in the heart of southwestern Norway, is widely known for producing an army of all-around great bands in the extreme metal scene – Borknagar, Enslaved, and Immortal, to name a few. Being the home of the renowned Norse sonic warriors Wardruna as well, there are almost always exciting things to look forward to in the Bergen scene. One of them is definitely the newest self-titled release by the up-and-coming psychonauts Søstre!
Norwegian experimental metal band Manes have shared a music video for their new single ‘Endetidstegn’. The track is the opening salvo from their new album Slow Motion Death Sequence, due out 24th August via Debemur Morti Productions. Directed by Guilherme Henriques, whose past visual collaborations with artists such as Belphegor, Wormed, and Hideous Divinity; the clip for ‘Endetidstegn’ is a bleak horrorscape, which matches the trippy music perfectly. Watch it now! Continue reading
Rising Norwegian melodic post-hardcore Ondt Blod is just weeks away from dropping their new album Natur on the world, from the always high-quality Fysisk Format label. The band has partnered with Ghost Cult to drop their newest single, ‘Start Han Opp’, which continues their penchant for catchy, heavy, and politically charged tracks that have made them one of the up and coming bands in the world right now. Jam out to ‘Start Han Opp’ now!Continue reading
Norwegian kvlt legends Taake have released a new single, ‘Inntrenger’. The track comes from their forthcoming new album Kong Vinter, due for release on November 24th via Dark Essence Records. Jam out to the grimness that is ‘Inntrenger’, now!Continue reading
Norwegian extreme metal band Atena has released a new video for their track ‘Lock Shut’, from their upcoming album Possessed, due next week from Indie Recordings. Watch the clip below: Continue reading
Iconic Norwegian doom rock powerhouse Sahg have returned with their new album Memento Mori, out today via Indie Recordings. Ghost Cult is proud to bring you the exclusive album stream below: Continue reading
Kvelertak have released official video for ‘Nattesferd,’ the title track from their new album released this past May via Roadrunner Records. You can watch the clip at this link or below:
The ethereal clip was produced by Norwegian production company Bacon and directed by Jakob Marky. The video was filmed in Fårö, a Baltic Sea island off the south-eastern coast of Sweden.
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Immortal was (or is, depending on its new lineup getting anything off the ground) one of the most intriguing acts in extreme music. A great deal of fans consider them a Norwegian black metal institution with a string of classics under their belts. For others they’re that borderline Spinal Tap band that have some of the most ridiculous promo pictures and music videos ever captured. For real, Norway, the music is great and all, but some of the message can be lost when you willingly pose yielding a plastic axe.
Maybe that’s why some turned have turned to crime? Anything for the arts.
But I digress. It’s not breaking news that in 2015, Immortal was on ice again and a brief legal battle ensued over the band’s trademark. Multi-instrumentalist founding member Olve Eikemo (or as we know him) Abbath walked away and pledged to work on his own music. The result is Abbath (Season of Mist), an eight song exercise in creative freedom and avoiding ugly litigation.
And allow me to immediately answer your query; it’s not as awesome as Battles in the North or Sons of Northern Darkness. And nor does it have to be. Since he is no longer under the weight of the Immortal legacy, Abbath is free to explore other things, namely his love of classic metal sounds. With Abbath’s death croak and drummer Creature peppering songs like ‘Winter Bane’ and ‘To War’ with double bass and the occasional blast beat they fall under extreme metal, but the structures are as traditional as they come. There’s even a sweet cover of Judas Priest’s ‘Riding on the Wind’ added as a bonus track.
But the Kvlt faithful need not worry, it’s not all New Wave of British Heavy Metal worship. ‘Eternal’ has enough blast beats to thaw any frozen heart and ‘Fenrir Hunts’ is highly reminiscent (in the best way) of the blackened death metal that Behemoth has been expertly brewing as of late.
And even for those who are too stubborn to appreciate Abbath because it doesn’t say Immortal on the cover or isn’t grim enough, they should respect that Abbath decided to step down. Why? Because he dropped the legal horseshit that would’ve jammed all parties involved and likely split the Immortal name into two lesser collectives. Need proof? What do you think about the recent work from Entombed A.D. or Queensryche and whatever Geoff Tate’s project is called?
8.0/10
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HANSEL LOPEZ