Nidrike, Blodsarv
Featuring a few of the Satan loving guys from Vanmakt (Gorgoth on backing vocals, guitars and bass, as well as, Liedheim on drums), this side project may not be as evil as Vanmakt, but it’s raw edge certainly puts it in the former’s realm of devastating black metal. Mixing melodic interludes with desolate black metal, Nidrike have created a foreboding landscape of demonic proportions.
Blasting drums explode with an unfounded fury as shredding guitars accompany the bleak rhythms in perfect unison. The vocals are raw and aggressive, laying in the mid-range guttural growl, punctuated by hellish screams and disturbing rants. The whole package of hate tears its way through your speakers quickly and violently. You better be prepared for this one before you hit that play button.
When the Sun Turns Black
The first track opens up quickly with eerie riffs and beefy rhythms before settling into a melancholy tone as the vocals come in. The harshly delivered message fits nicely with the driving riffs for a brief moment before the group slows everything down to a crawling pace. Evil, spoken vocals are accompanied by some keyboard work and noise around the one minute mark and last a good 10 seconds or so before descending into demonic madness with pummeling drums and chaotic riffs. This is a hell of an opening song.
Demise
The swirling feel to this one definitely makes you feel like your experiencing your own demise and tumbling into the gaping maw of hell. The vocals start off in the background a bit, but not too far back and still have plenty of vehemence to them. The pace erupts right at the one minute mark with a catchy series of shouts. There are several tempo changes through this one that will keep you on your toes and grinning maddeningly.
On Godforsaken Grounds
“On Godforsaken Grounds” has a bit of a sludgy feel to it as the vocals spit out hatred and aggression. The riffs throughout it are pretty damned evil and fairly memorable as the rhythm section lays waste to all of Christianity.
The False Kingdom – Part 1 – Madness
This piano based interlude has an antique feel to it through the production and lasts about 30 seconds.
Your Satan, My Saviour
After that brief respite, Nidrike erupt from their slumber with Satan in tow. Driving drums beat like the wings of demons through the dark night as the vocals are screamed with power and layered to create a nice dynamic between the two vocalists. There’s actually a pretty sweet groove running through the more controlled portions of this song. There are some seriously evil layered vocals at the four minute mark.
A Purifying Storm
“A Purifying Storm” starts off with some blasting riffs and drums for the first 30 seconds or so before the band shifts to a nearly vocal only attack that’s accompanied with a subtle bit of bass work. The pace is quickly picked up around the 1:18 point as driving riffs and manic drums explode from the speakers.
Agony
This next one gets off to a slightly slower start, but still packs a punch with burly blasts from the rhythm section before settling into a driving black metal pace. There are some some nice melodic elements weaving through this one as it progresses.
The High Castle of Lies
A tortured scream and memorable guitar work starts off this next track. There some intense blasting drums throughout this one, tempered only by the moments of stillness as the vocals are screamed.
The False Kingdom – Part 2 – Destruction
The second half of the piano interlude lasts about 45 seconds before being swallowed whole by the next track.
Thy Will Be Done
“Thy Will Be Done” is a monolithic attack on the senses. Beefy riffing and crushing rhythms will ingest your very soul in a swirling, chaotic bit of black metal. The churning, massive presence of this one will overwhelm with memorable guitars and unrelenting drums.
Retribution
The album’s final track fades in with sadistic drumming and memorable riffs as the layered vocals come in. There are a few moments where the band lulls you into a false calm before erupting again in violent black metal blasts. The layered screams are a real nice touch on this one. It’s an aggressive, yet flowing track that ends the album with fatal finality.
~ ~ ~
Nidrike’s Blodsarv is a pretty damned good black metal album. There are some great moments of maniacal riffing and soul plundering rhythms that only seem to grow in power when the fierce vocal attack vomits from your speakers. It’s definitely an evil, evil album.
Favorite Tracks:
Pretty much all of them
Additional Notes:
N/A