Band: Sarke
Title: Oldarhian
Label: Indie Recordings
Distribution: Indie Recordings
Release date: April 15th 2011
Review: CD

Thomas Bergli aka Sarke is known from a few splendid Black-acts from Norway, amongst which Khold and Tulus (oh, I do like them so intensively), yet you might remember his name as well from his involvement with Old Man’s Child. He had some ideas that differed from the past, and to turn it into audible reality, he joined forces with Darkthrone’s Ted ‘Nocturno Culto’ Skjellum and El Caco / Autopulver’s Anders Hunstad. This trio soon debuted with Vorunah, which did very well apparently, even though the project was only very recently born (yes, the ‘huge’ names of the members, and the enormous promotional campaigns will certainly have to do with this success). And soon the band was asked to perform live on stage, so the crew got joined by Terje ‘Cyrus’ Andersen (Susperia, Dimmu Borgir, and session assistance to e.g. Satyricon, Old Man’s Child, Sensa Anima etc.), Asgeir Mickelson (ex-Borknagar, Spiral Architect, session for Ihsahn, Vintersorg, Scariot, Enslavement Of Beauty, Testament a.m.o.) and Steinar ‘Azarak’ Gundersen (Spiral Architect, ex-Lunaris; guest for e.g. Satyricon or King’s Quest). These live performances weren’t just small gigs, yet Sarke were able to perform on festivals like Party San, Ragnarok and Inferno, to name but a few.
The new recording, Oldarhian, was recorded with producer Lars-Erik Westby (he also worked with Khold) and goes mainly on in the vein of the debut. It combines elements from different genres from the past: seventies Rock, eighties Doom / Death / Thrash / Black Metal and, especially, nineties Black Metal. The whole sounds enormously groovy, unpolished and traditional, yet the varying and attractive way. The combination of the different approaches, the diversity in rhythms and riffs, the addition of atmospheric keyboard lines, the filthy throat of Mister Skjellum, it makes Oldarhian a unique journey through ancient worlds and dark places, both within our mind as terrestrial.
It’s not that evident and usual. Sometimes you might hear very early and ‘new’ Darkthrone, Khold (it’s evident that these two bands are the main influence), Satyricon and that kind of grotesquery, then again the whole leans over towards, well, all kinds of possibilities and opportunities: Tiamat (era Wildhoney), Celtic Frost, Motörhead, early VoiVod, lots of Doom Metal-injections (from Candlemass to Black Sabbath, from Trouble to Pentagram), and Psychedelica-Punk. It’s a collage of related spheres, musical elements and attitudes, carefully united into majesty and honesty.
An album that ‘grows’, that needs several listens, yet one that, finally, grabs you…
Not every piece is superb, yet the overall quality is far above average!

87/100

Ivan Tibos.