Band: Svartahrid
Title: Ex Inferi
Label: Soulseller Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 30/09/2010
Review: CD

The Norwegian formation Svartahrid was formed in 1994 by Istar and Forn. When two new members joined the band, Svartahrid entered the famous Akkerhaugen Lydstudio (Zyklon, Mistur, Mactätus, Disiplin, Myrkskog etc) to record their first official demo (1998). Afterwards they will work with this studio (and Thorbjørn Akkerhaugen) several times again, by the way – the newest album included (Mr. Akkerhaugen did the production, mix and engineering of the album – FYI). The mastering, for those interested, was done at Strype Audio by Tom Kvålsvoll (Mactätus, Ragnarok, Limbonic Art, 1349, Emperor and hundreds of others). Istar and Forn were also involved with another Norwegian Black Metal band, Mactätus, a bombastic Black-formation that were signed to the Austrian label Napalm Records, which was, back then, strongly involved within the Black Metal scene (nowadays Napalm Records are ‘specialised’ in Folk and Gothic Metal). Soon Svartahrid signed to this label too, and two raw, majestic albums were released, Forthcoming Storm (1999) and As The Sunrise Flickers (2001).

As a result of the new direction Napalm Records went, Napalm and Svartahrid parted ways, and the latter signed a three-album-deal to Soulseller Records. 2007 saw the release of Sadness And Wrath, followed in 2008 by Malicious Pride. Svartahrid were back, and how! In 2009 the band entered the Akkerhaugen studio again, resulting in Ex Inferi, which has duration of forty four minutes.

Ex Inferi is a monumental recording again. The pounding tracks are built upon a very heavy rhythm section, sharp guitar riffs and deep, grim vocals. All this gets supported by some symphonic keyboard lines, and the many tempo-changes (the tempo varies from rather slow over mid-tempo to ultra-fast) appear in a perfect equilibrium. The evident Akkerhaugen-sound (read: firmly Nordic-oriented) is a surplus, for the xth time, because this sound / production stands for somewhat underground-inspired yet massive at the same time. And that’s something beautiful in its purest, most basic sense, isn’t it?

Anyway, this collection of powerful, overwhelming and thrashing epics is a 2010-definition of how superior Norwegian Black Metal must sound, like it always did, like it still does, and like it -hopefully- will do for all eternity (or at least till I’m dead/deaf…).

90/100

Ivan Tibos.