Label : Lupus Lounge/Prophecy Productions
Review by Andrea “Disgraced”
Nàttsòl hail from Norway, playing a modern and avantgarde-d black metal with acoustic and folk elements that might easily put the band on paths similar to those of bands like Enslaved, Ulver (old ones of course) or even those black metal bands with more viking and/or epic elements like Glittertind and, why not, the epicness of some masterpieces like Bathory‘s “Hammerheart”.
But it’s of course due to the folk elements, played and portrayed in a way personal enough, that this band rises the right attention. As it happened in some works of the aforementioned bands, a raw black metal spirit is softened by melodic, acoustic parts impersonating the most calm forces of nature. I must say that also Shining come into my mind there and then (drummer Jarle “Uruz” Byberg played also with them a couple of years ago), although Nàttsòl; l don’t have the same taste for experimenting nor the same will of creating purely folk songs. Tracks like “Ved Baal I Kveldstime”, which starts quiet before throwing the listener into a violent abyss of evil screaming and abyss, let’s itself lull with typica folk-y choirs, all melted together, without real breaks between a proper section or the other. A dangerous, ultra-fast drumming (you can’t play black metal of any kind without it ;)) is present in “Ved Skog I Natterstid” while fans of female vocals can enjoy a perfect use of them in such an album in songs like “Hav I Avdagsleitet”, where the clean vocals of Anette Gulbrandsen (does someone remember Mandylion ?) shine through this little serenade. I must also say that that kind of trademark of nordic musicians, meaning it seems they are born with music, is affirmed here as well, since both Venomenon and Nattsjel are present in a number of other projects as did bassist Erlend Antonsen who recently left the band. I’m waiting for the guys at their next release, since I’m sure they can do what they did even better but leave them with a final good mark nonetheless. 🙂
Rating – 73/100
Tracklist
- Ved Aas I Haustmoerket
- Ved Baal I Kveldstime
- Ved Skog I Natterstid
- Ved Fjel I Vinterblast
- Ved Elv I Eismal Stund
- Ved Hav I Avdagsleitet
Line Up
- Gustav Jørgen Pedersen – Clean Vocals
- Annette Gulbrandsen – Female Vocals
- Venomenon – Harsh Vocals, Guitar
- Nattsjel – Guitar, Bass
- Uruz – Drums
Links