Worlds removed from their most recent (and almost intolerable) black metal nightmare Nattens Madrigal, its predecessor Kveldssanger (ie. Evening Songs) conspicuously sidestepped the cacophonous in-the-bathroom production and feral hiss characteristic of many blasting Norse bands for a passionately relayed Norwegian folk excursion, performed entirely on acoustic instruments. Vocals tend towards an obscure hymnal, almost Gregorian warble, though under-utilized, they're richly textured and melodiously delivered, complemented by an amalgamation of layered guitars, flutes, and cellos. There are literally zero modern equivalents to this pensive mood-setting oddity as rarely are such blatantly classical aspirations heard within the blackened subgenre. A somber and skillfully executed alternative to the norm; the entire affair just reeks of class. See kids, thoughtful dark art needn't always be delivered with a sledgehammer to the skull.