Drottnar - Anamorphosis
Momentum Scandinavia 2003
By Jason Jordan
I never thought Id be able to use the words primitive and sophisticated in conjunction with each other. But Drottnars latest EP, Anamorphosis, has me convinced that it is possible. The EP itself clocks in at twenty minutes, and the artwork is very foreboding - entirely black. Morphosis opens with classical instrumentation, which immediately conjures a Winds feel. Then spoken vocals are layered over the music, ala Mayhems Grand Declaration of War. It is a rather short piece, but largely serves as the intro. Next comes The Individual Complex, which brings us to what we can expect from the remainder of the EP: mid-paced, raw black metal. Comparisons to Darkthrone are inevitable, while Sven-Erik Linds vocals make him sound like hes in complete agony - think of Vikernes (Burzum, ex-Mayhem) turned down half a notch. Musically the performances mesh well with each other, and the blastbeats arent distracting or monotonous. Melodious sections simply rise out of nowhere, and I cant help but think wow, absolutely great. This opus changes tempo frequently, and certain parts are vastly different from one another. I am often enraptured by the groups abilities.
Violins begin Sin Climax and were thrust back into the abyss a few seconds later. Here we hear what Winds would sound like if they were black metal; the classical instrument carries a great amount of the melody. Even so, Sin Climax is a furious track, punctuated by the somber inclusion of said violins. Tempo variations abound in this number, as well as stop/start sections. But, none of the former detracts from the songs inherent worth, because the quintet performs extraordinarily. Finally, Concord aggressively brings the disc to a close, but is the most forgettable work on the release. Why? Weve seen similar ideas utilized in the tracks before it.
Despite my many comparisons to other bands, Drottnar are surprisingly original, and this EP should be a mandatory listen for all black metal fans. As it is strictly limited to 850 copies, you should start searching for yours now. Highly recommended.
9/10
Official Drottnar WebsiteOfficial Monumentum Scandinavia website
Momentum Scandinavia 2003
By Jason Jordan
I never thought Id be able to use the words primitive and sophisticated in conjunction with each other. But Drottnars latest EP, Anamorphosis, has me convinced that it is possible. The EP itself clocks in at twenty minutes, and the artwork is very foreboding - entirely black. Morphosis opens with classical instrumentation, which immediately conjures a Winds feel. Then spoken vocals are layered over the music, ala Mayhems Grand Declaration of War. It is a rather short piece, but largely serves as the intro. Next comes The Individual Complex, which brings us to what we can expect from the remainder of the EP: mid-paced, raw black metal. Comparisons to Darkthrone are inevitable, while Sven-Erik Linds vocals make him sound like hes in complete agony - think of Vikernes (Burzum, ex-Mayhem) turned down half a notch. Musically the performances mesh well with each other, and the blastbeats arent distracting or monotonous. Melodious sections simply rise out of nowhere, and I cant help but think wow, absolutely great. This opus changes tempo frequently, and certain parts are vastly different from one another. I am often enraptured by the groups abilities.
Violins begin Sin Climax and were thrust back into the abyss a few seconds later. Here we hear what Winds would sound like if they were black metal; the classical instrument carries a great amount of the melody. Even so, Sin Climax is a furious track, punctuated by the somber inclusion of said violins. Tempo variations abound in this number, as well as stop/start sections. But, none of the former detracts from the songs inherent worth, because the quintet performs extraordinarily. Finally, Concord aggressively brings the disc to a close, but is the most forgettable work on the release. Why? Weve seen similar ideas utilized in the tracks before it.
Despite my many comparisons to other bands, Drottnar are surprisingly original, and this EP should be a mandatory listen for all black metal fans. As it is strictly limited to 850 copies, you should start searching for yours now. Highly recommended.
9/10
Official Drottnar WebsiteOfficial Monumentum Scandinavia website
