Mjölnir are an obscure German black metal band. It's really a shame that more black metal fans don't know about them, since they are superior to 95% of all the black metal bands out there. In terms of style, Mjölnir are not your typical black metal band, and they certainly don't follow the raw and minimalistic formula made popular by DarkThrone and embraced by the overwhelming majority of all black metal bands in existance. The title track, Im Banne der Nacht, kicks off with a fast, palm muted, thrashy riff, complimented by atmostpheric keyboards. Right away, it is apparent that Mjölnir take a somewhat atypical approach to black metal. The production is good, the riffs are played very cleanly, and the guitar tone is razor sharp. Keyboards are abundant on this CD, and they compliment the music perfectly. There is nothing "faggoth" about Mjölnir's utlization of keyboards. Notable tracks on this CD include the opening track and the 20-minute-plus epic Bis das der Tod die Zeit besiegt. Bis das der Tod die Zeit besiegt may be over 20 minutes long, but it never gets boring. It is very progressive, filled with thrashy bm riffs and atmospheric keyboards, without a boring moment. Supposedly Mjölnir is still active, though they have not released anything since this masterpiece in 1999. I really hope to hear more from Mjölnir in the future, since they are one of the best black metal bands I've ever heard, even though they have only released one full-length CD. Anyone who likes black metal must hear Hinweg über die Tore der Zeit.
Well, I've downloaded it anyway, not given it a listen yet though.
