### Blodsgard: Monument

#### 20/01/14 || Cobal

Norwegian black metal hasn’t had a worthy new face for quite a while if you ask me. Au contraire, it seems to me that most of the many “new” bands dwelling from those parts are nothing but gimmick acts trying to revive glories of the past. Based on their debut album, I can state that Blodsgard are different. Quite different.

It’s not like “Monument” is completely separated from what we know and understand as Norwegian black metal. In fact, the first three tracks strictly stick to the cannons of the sub-genre, as they vividly reproduce that cold and raw sound that delights the fans of Mayhem, Burzum and Gorgoroth among others. Me, I listened to this with the only expectation of getting some decent black metal that did just that. With that regard, these first three tracks could even be misleading.

Things begin to grow more and more interesting after track 4 due to… Yes, the use of keyboards. These are widely hated among metalheads. The reason? All power, gothic, and even melodic “death” and black metal releases have been ruined by over using such resource, and even I’m definitely not in the list of haters, I totally understand why many prefer to avoid them. The difference lies in knowing how to use them, you know. In that department, I think Blodsgard can teach a thing or two.

Take the very track I just mentioned above —“Hagalls sirkel“— for instance. They scatter some tinkling notes here and there and transform a pretty regular song into something completely fresh and memorable. From there, everything is a mere technicality for these guys. Some church-like organ sound here, some minimalistic ambient stuff there and voilà! You get a true black metal record with a taste of its own. You have to give them some credit for that.

Speaking of ambient music, it’s quite interesting how “Monument” moves from furious riffing to minimal-mystic phrases and back again. Good news: they do it gracefully. Songwriting skills is not something these guys lack. At moments, this album feels a bit “Filosofem” inspired, except this one sticks to metal rather than relaxing music.

To sum up, this record is scratching me right where I itch. Had I not been a lazy bastard and checked this one so fucken late, it would have definitely made it into my top of last year.

- Information
- Released: 2013
- Label: The Oath
- Website: www.blodsgard.com
- Band
- Fredrik Rex: vocals, guitars
- Stein Akslen: lyrics

- Tracklist
- 01. Påkallelsen
- 02. Mentalt minefelt
- 03. Sjeler vil brenne
- 04. Hagalls sirkel
- 05. Monument
- 06. Livet er avlyst!
- 07. Kaoskonstruksjon
- 08. Svart blod flyter