### Stridsmenn: Stridsmenn

#### 26/01/14 || sincan

I thought it was time to go back to the year of 2009, when… I don’t know but at least this album was released. I guess that you might wonder why I chose to review it now? well, I just remembered this one this morning because it has one of these haunting riffs, following you from year to year, and it seems impossible for me to stop hum on it from time to time.

The album starts with the standardized intro and then we are served one of the almighty highlights, Saar. This track also got a haunting riff and a paralyzing bass line mumbling there in the background. Have I said before how much I appreciate audible bass, in this manner, in my nonwhite metal? I guess so, but it need to be told again and again or maybe I just love my own voice. Why shouldn’t I?

There are some interesting details to find on this rough diamond, either the plaintive clean vocals in Saar, or the acoustic/guest piano (?) part on the same track, with its darkened folk vibe telling its own story. I would dare to say that this is some Norwegian black metal which is looking back at a greater era, not completely succeeding to capture the same thing, but not a total failure either. Sometimes it reminds me of the older Gorgoroth for instance, mostly the bass I guess.

The entire album is a good, almost great, effort as a total. Unfortunately, for us, are not all tracks equally superb in terms of quality. Don’t get me wrong, the least great track are still good, but they tend to stand in the shadow of the stronger ones here, as others cocks compared to mine.

- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Northern Silence Productions
- Website: stridsmenn.no
- Arnjeir: drums, guitars, vocals, bass, synth

- Tracklist
- 01. Nattestid
- 02. Saar
- 03. Den sorte sti
- 04. Boldvatn
- 05. Sortsorg vinters skjebne
- 06. Ondskapen selv
- 07. Dod