gratuitous posting of my review ftw:
“Post-Hammerheart” almost seems to have become a genre in its own right in recent years. Ereb Altor’s history stretches back to the early 90s, however, and so does the origin of many of the songs found on their debut album, By Honour. The aforementioned term gives a fairly accurate overview of the band’s music, though it leans more toward an epic doom metal direction. Their music is rooted in tradition as much as Quorthon’s, adorning their album with images of a traditional Nordic winter landscape and various runes. Ereb Altor focuses more on the natural side of the folk aesthetic, wallowing in the natural isolation of the climate, whereas Quorthon was more interested in the historical legacy, which Ereb Altor touches on, but does not dwell upon, reflective of their alternative influences and their work in other projects outside of this one.
Indeed, just about every aspect of Ereb Altor’s approach comes across as a sharper and modified envisioning of Quorthon’s work, right down to the solos, replacing the wild and frenetic soloing, meshed into the background, with more articulate and traditional sounding solos that are highlighted by a crisp production which brings them to the forefront, rather than burying them in the mix. What is still there, however, are the heavy, crushing Manowar-inspired riffs that were the foundation of Quorthon’s music. The beginning of “Winter Wonderland” and the middle of the title track, for example, display just such a fashion. The same song structure carries the project throughout, as well, generally subscribing to the concept of heavy, semi-doom metal riffs backed by thunderously pounding drums interspersed with effective lead work and an attempt at soaring clean singing. This is a formula that has been nearly done to death when bringing nothing new to the table, though a handful of bands have been able to take the Post-Hammerheart structure and produce some interesting music, most notably Graveland, Morrigan, Gods Tower, Doomsword/Gjallarhorn, Iuvenes, Falkenbach, and a small handful of others. This is one of the better albums of that lot.
It’s not all just Bathory, however. For example, the first track, “Perennial,” is a tastefully played piano intro which appropriately sets up the majestic atmosphere that pervades the entire album. This album resonates with a sense of tranquility where Bathory’s work is more restless in spirit. One needs look no further than the closing, eponymous song, which is very peaceful and somber in ways that Bathory never was. “Dark Nymph” especially departs from the typical Hammerheart framework with respect to the more traditional songs on the album. In fact, this song sounds similar to some of the things that the two members of Ereb Altor have done with their other band, Isole. It begins with a fluttering, melodic quality that is at times reminiscent of the melodic sensibilities of early Candlemass in songs like “The Well of Souls,” and then it proceeds to bludgeon the listener with very heavy, brooding tones that is more in line with straightforward doom metal than what Quorthon set out to do. The drum work remains familiar; however, there is a greater emphasis on double bass work which provides a more crushing undercurrent to the music.
Ereb Altor also departs from Bathory in the way in which they approach the use of keyboards. Their usage of keyboards in terms of its position in the music is not different; however, the way that they are played is. They are more elaborate and integrated more smoothly into the music. One also cannot help but sense that more time was spent composing these pieces than were the keyboard lines that Quorthon composed. The track “Wizard” begins with a short keyboard intro that has an almost classical flare to it, which compliments the track well. I almost sense a Dead Can Dance influence on this track, more specifically the song “Xavier” off of Within the Realm of a Dying Sun. Entirely coincidental or not, it evokes a similar atmosphere in the way that it is played in certain parts.
By Honour is an album worthy of the legacy of Quorthon. In some ways, Ereb Altor even surpasses Bathory’s “Viking” era albums, particularly with respect to the vocals. While endearing, Quorthon’s painfully amateurish attempt at clean vocals leaves, at times, much to be desired. In some cases, it detracts from the overall quality and impact of the material, though admittedly in other places it works better than a more formal approach. Ereb Altor, on the other hand, has the benefit of retrospection, being able to see what worked and what could have been better. They took the basic framework of Hammerheart, rough around the edges and a bit clumsy in spots, and they polished and fine tuned that model to come up with this album over a period of over a decade. The vocals are actually a strength here, in ways that can not be said for Bathory. The clean vocals are clear and refined, which feels more fitting to the folk oriented concept behind the style of play. The use of background chanting is especially effective, the extra layers of vocals providing a greater sense of the majesty of the imagery portrayed in their lyrics, of great, snowcapped mountains and endless valleys. It gives the music a sort of mystical atmosphere, as though they are singing of legends long past, of times which would have otherwise been long forgotten had they not been immortalized in song. While largely derivative, Ereb Altor has produced a fine album, informed equally by Quorthon and by traditional doom metal. This is a strong effort that should be able to appeal fans of either style.
