Artist: Kampfar
Label: Napalm Records
Release: 2008
After two years, Norway’s Kampfar are storming back onto the pagan battlefield with their fourth album, Heimgang, which stays loyal to Nordic folklore and tradition.
Here you get ten anthems of Nordic Pagan Black metal, soaked in a pinch of the ancient Viking folklore and mysticism that this end of the world has to offer.
The album kicks off with an acoustic intro, followed by an instrumental extra. By the second song, though, the tempo quickly shifts into solid Black metal rooted in bands like Enslaved – that’s old-school Norwegian Black metal, so beloved all over the world. The album really delivers phenomenal vibes, as long as you’ve got a bit of imagination and know how to sink into the world of the music, not just the production. The tracks on Heimgang are simply one of a kind. Listening to them, we witness a rebirth of Pagan Black metal, with more emphasis on the sounds of antiquity and simplicity, the basics that make this genre special.
Finally, an album that doesn’t lose its red thread, with every song carefully put in its place on a record that plays like one continuous musical story.
Despite the flawless production, plenty of people will probably be surprised by the slightly murky sound, which makes the album still feel properly ”Old School” and keeps it from drowning in the crowd of newer quasi-Pagan albums where overly high guitars and the vocals of self-proclaimed opera singers squeal, not to mention the ”Sonata Arctica” keyboards, which I won’t even waste words on. With this new creation, Kampfar have managed to stay in the very elite of Norwegian bands, who use originality and minimalism to do what others buy with templates and producers. They put in the effort to build an atmosphere with the instruments and the singing, and so made an authentic piece of work that feels like an epic tribute to the ancestors.
The album also stands out for its excellent guitar work, which helps create a perfect atmosphere of antiquity and eternity at the same time. On top of that, the icing on the cake is the vocals, which recall the very beginnings of the Black metal scene of the early 90s.
In short, Heimgang is probably this year’s ”top” release from the Norwegian Pagan/Black metal machine. It’s sad, though, that it will dodge every media spotlight from a mile away and will probably be honored with nothing more than a tour or two. Maybe that’s exactly the ”oomph” that still makes metal music so special.
Lineup
Dolk – vocals
Thomas – guitar
II13 – drums, backing vocals
Jon Bakker – bass guitar
Track list
1.Vantro (03:06)
2.Inferno (03:31)
3.Dodens Vee (04:24)
4.Skogens Dyp (05:20)
5.Antvort (06:10)
6.Vansinn (05:36)
7.Mareham (05:08)
8.Feigdarvarsel (05:15)
9.Vettekult (04:49)
10. Vandring 03:46
