A new record by Norwegian avant-garde masters Dødheimsgard is something akin to an event and a momentous occasion to those of us who are fans of the musically adventurous entity.
Never ones to be easily labelled or classified, mastermind Vicotnik and his ridiculously talented cohorts transcend and defy all norms and boundaries with respect to what is usually thought of as songwriting. There is absolutely nothing conventional about these gentlemen and what they do at all. Black Medium Current is a swirling and colossal musical piece that stands out as one the most seductive and appealing entries in their classy discography to date, which is saying something considering the impact and longevity that its predecessors have had (and still have). Simply put, their ideas defy pigeonholing, which, after all, is the way it ought to be when dabbling with experimental sounds.
DHG have somehow managed to harness the intensity and utterly compelling qualities of In Umbra Omega (2015) and shift up a gear, which, frankly speaking, sounds insane but is nevertheless true. The melancholy that breathes and pulsates within ‘Et Smelter’, ‘Tankespinnerens Smerte’, and ‘Interstellar Nexus’ is so prominent that one can almost reach out and touch it while the sprawling ‘It Does Not Follow’, the short yet effective ‘Voyager’, and the dramatic ‘Halow’ add a touch of disquiet and theatricality to the proceedings.
The final three compositions on the disc expertly guide us into even darker territory with ‘Det Tomme Kalde Mørke’ standing tall and proud as an oppressive work of musical genius and arguably the most black metal-inspired of the lot.
Avantgarde post-rock and experimental black metal atmospherics? Yes, the LP contains plenty of all the juicy stuff, but there is infinitely more to this dense and complex opus than that. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the emotional impact of immersing oneself in its textures and seemingly never-ending layers is as pronounced and powerful as it is. As much as this writer treasures the group’s previous offerings, this is the most successful in striking the perfect balance between the dangerously beguiling and the strangely beautiful.
The entire endeavour is an unpredictable and twisted adventure from start to finish that is challenging and addictive in equal measure, but above all, it deserves your full attention as it is disturbingly delightful and a flawless slice of forward-thinking metal music.
Black Medium Current is available via Peaceville Records on April 14th
