That notwithstanding, Naglfar has experienced a streamlining effect courtesy of the vacating vocalist Jens Rydén. He has been quite ably replaced (and the band’s sound quite likely improved) by bassist Kristoffer Olivius. The guitar work of Andreas Nilsson and Marcus Norman is great both in terms of leads and riffs. Mattias Grahn’s drumming is top notch like all top tier Black Metal bands and Olivius’ bass is impressive, too, subtle though it may be. The best thing about Naglfar’s brand of blistering Black Metal, though, is the absence of dominating keyboards, not unlike Immortal. This is perhaps what makes their sound more accessible to the non-Black Metal purist such as myself.

The Haunted’s shirt from a few years ago is an appropriate description of Naglfar: Swedish as Fuck. This is just a killer record that is relentless from the start. Specific points of reference include the most recent trio of Dimmu Borgir records (epic soundscapes), Satyricon’s “Volcano” (old school Thrash vibe), and much of Hypocrisy’s back catalog (total package). Fans of Immortal’s final two releases also apply. This has got me all types o’ curious about this album’s predecessor in “Sheol.” Let’s see what the local Metal shop has in store for me.... Your flesh will be theirs! [To adapt a lyric.]

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 39.03