Norwegian Metal 31-Day Challenge (Week Four)

AbWeek #4 of the 31-Day Norwegian Metal Challenge has wrapped up, and between this week and the previous three weeks, it is amazing how much outstanding new music we’ve discovered.

Since, as usual, there’s a lot to cover, let’s get right to the schedule for the fourth week of Norwegian (mostly metal) bands:

And a few details and comments for each:

Arcturus:

I was, admittedly, taken aback by the Arcturus vocalist’s style at first. My initial reaction to the first track was actually quite similar to the first time I heard my now-beloved Leprous; namely, I was not turned off by any means, but there was a moment of questioning whether the sound would suit my tastes. To put it colloquially, it was the “hmmmmm” response: ”Let’s withhold judgment and see how this materializes.” I was convinced before the first song concluded. For as bizarre as the collective effect of the music’s various elements is, I was surprised to repeatedly find myself nodding my head along to the rhythm while I worked. Of course, there were (intentionally) jarring and disconcerting moments as well. This is the kind of band that requires multiple listen-throughs to fully appreciate, which as usual, is meant as a compliment. It merits the time.

Link to Arcturus’s facebook page
Link to stream of 1997 release ”La Masquerade Infernal”
La Masquerade Infernale available for purchase

Insense:

As you may have noticed, when I fall in love with a band, I tend to broadcast it on this website — posting video and audio clips, linking to their album and facebook pages, and most of all, mentioning and praising them as much as possible (with varying degrees of coherence, depending on how hyper I am and whether I feel like editing either my spastic internal monologue or the resultant splatter of words on the page). I mention this because, bizarrely, I haven’t really made too many references to Ever Forthright, despite the fact that I am constantly rocking out to self-titled album and the band members’ various side projects, and am anxiously awaiting their new material. Why this odd preface to the Insense album review? Because Insense reminds me a lot of EF. From the first riff I was struck by the similarity in sound and style, and it persisted throughout the album. Of course, I maintain that Ever Forthright is inimitable, and Insense does indeed bring their own twist to the genre; its djent-y grooves, clean/dirty vocal mix, elements of hardcore and progressive sounds are like the best of Periphery and Killswitch wrapped up in a Norwegian package. I know “brutal djent” isn’t for everyone (and cue every metalsucks commenter ever shitting their collective pants upon seeing that descriptor), but if you dig the bands I’ve referenced in this paragraph, then you absolutely need to check out Insense as well.

Link to Insense’s facebook page
Link to stream of 2011 release ”Burn in Beautiful Fire”
Burn in Beautiful Fire available for purchase

Illusion Suite:

The biggest trouble with this challenge is that it’s turned into a month-long album-buying binge. (Although, who am I kidding, if it wasn’t a bunch of Norwegian bands, it’d be something else.) This challenge initially was intended to be strictly Norwegian progressive metal, and Illusion Suite would’ve remained at the top of the list. There were numerous places throughout the album where I thought, “Dream Theater could’ve come up with that!” Which isn’t to say that these guys are merely a DT knockoff, but rather, that they’ve created moments of musical transcendence where the prog patriarch’s influence is apparent — but interspersed with a heavier metallic edge that recalled certain of Periphery’s (second reference to them in this write-up!) and Last Chance to Reason’s songs.

Link to Illusion Suite’s facebook page
Link to stream of 2013 release ”The Iron Cemetery”
Iron Cemetry available for purchase

Enslaved:

How badass is Enslaved? Badass enough that I took to twitter to try to bribe the band into putting me on their guest list with an offering of the new bottle of Akavit mentioned in last week’s write-up, for their show last Friday. At Center Stage. For which I somehow neglected to buy tickets and, upon realizing this grievous error, panicked and rushed to the Center Stage website, only to discover that they had sold out the day before. StubHub tickets were going for $200+ a pop, and as a matter of principle I am unwilling to allow someone to profit so substantially from buying up the last seats and then jacking up the price to the extreme. Enslaved was playing with Amon Amarth, and that loud cracking sound you hear right now is me repeatedly punching myself in the face. I’m still so furious with myself that I can’t even finish this right now…. The linked album rocks, and so does their latest release, Riitiir, which I shall now crank at full volume to drown out the sound of my tears.

Link to Enslaved’s facebook page
Link to stream of 2010 release ”Axioma Ethica Odini”
Axioma Ethica Odini available for purchase

Ved Buens Ende:

Norwegian avant garde jazz-infused black metal: Ved Buens Ende actually falls within the absurd, elitist genre I made up in response to the question, “What kind of music do you like?” (when I’m in an asshole mood). Written in Waters perfected melodic, unpredictable metal replete with doom and gloom. Sadly, the 1995 work was the band’s only full-length album before they broke up a year or two later. Still, I consider it a “must-have” for any History of Norwegian Metal (or History of Avant Garde Metal) collection.

Link to Ved Buens Ende’s facebook page
Link to stream of 1995 release ”Written in Waters”
Written In Waters available for purchase

Beyond Dawn:

Apparently, every week I’m going to have one band whose album I listen to and enjoy, but for which I never get around to writing up a summary review until it’s time to post. In this, Week 4, Beyond Dawn is that band. I happily replayed it to give myself a refresher, and it’s just as creepy and ominous while sitting at my office desk. Incidentally, notwithstanding the work locale, I’m damn near ready to fall asleep, which is appropriate given that the album would be an aptly ghoulish soundtrack to one’s nightmares. Attention goth teenagers across the world: buy this immediately. Although those of us who aren’t channeling Wednesday Addams will dig it too.

Link to Beyond Dawn’s facebook page
Link to stream of 1995 release ”Pity Love”
Pity Love available for purchase

Jaga Jazzist:

I’m so sorry for posting this extra, 64-song Jaga Jazzist playlist, my friends. Truly. The first video is a nice introduction to the band (and a hell of a song, off their beloved Live With Britten Sinfonia album). But when the second video queues up, you’re kinda screwed. See, despite the fact that it’s all instrumental, not only is the music so outstanding that it’s impossible to simply leave it playing in the background when every other minute, your attention will be snapped back to the song in “what an amazing musical moment!” awe, but you also will inevitably find yourself minimizing the window of the Excel spreadsheet you ought to be plowing through so you can watch them play as well. Their individual and collective charisma and chemistry while performing made it impossible for me to tear my eyes away from the screen, to the point where I was sitting at my desk with a shit-eatin’ grin on my face, notwithstanding the overwhelming amount of work that needed to be accomplished by the end of the day. To watch people so talented having so much fun together makes me delighted. If only they would travel to a location for which I could get a reasonably priced flight!