Band: Nàttsòl
Title: Stemning
Label: Lupus Lounge
Distribution: Suburban
Release date: June 11th 2010
Review: CD

Nàttsòl were formed in winter 2006 and the Norwegian sextet officially debuts with Stemning, which is Norwegian for ‘mood’ or ‘atmosphere’. And the title indeed covers the musical package.

As a matter of fact, the band dwells within the same spheres as some of the better Norwegian bands from the so called Second Wave. Nàttsòl’s archaic and Nordic sounding Viking Black Metal is highly influenced by bands and projects as early Satyricon, Enslaved, Ulver (their splendid trilogy), Mock/ Kampfar or Hades/ Hades Almighty, and the quality comes close, very close, to the superior level of these influential acts. There are lots of tempo-changes, the album includes the acoustic passages and epic choirs, the balance between melodic beauty and war-lusting aggressing, and the whole sounds both heroic and melancholic. The lyrics, in their mother tongue, deal with nature, legends and mysticism, explaining both the title of the album, as well as the band’s musical influences.

Again: an excellent Lupus Lounge release!

90/100

Ivan Tibos.