Abigor
Nachthymnen (From the Twilight Kingdom)

Let’s continue our journey into medieval-style or similar black metal with an album that made history in its genre, written by minds that have made history in their genre. Abigor are part of that circle of bands that I’m not sure I’d call seminal for the history of music or rock as a whole, but for metalheads and specifically blacksters, they’re certainly important. And for good reason.

The album isn’t 100% medieval black metal: that’s a label that still only a handful of records can earn, and you can tell it right from the cover, which depicts the inside of a church—gloomy, but without giving up an aura that isn’t strictly medieval, and is very much rooted in classic black metal. However, the gulf between this album and others from the same period (like Darkthrone, Mayhem, and the like) is profound: the history of medieval black metal passes through here. If you’re not accustomed to raw black metal or crust punk, there’s no need to worry, because the listening experience is relatively far from uncompromising black. Female vocals, melodic sections, interludes… but are we perhaps talking about some tacky fake black metal just to lure in teenagers who want to look tough? Not at all, my friends: this is a work that radiates malignancy from every pore, without wasting any time. That said, find me something more majestic, elegant, fierce, and black than the first thirty seconds of "Scars in the Landscape of God." The first time I heard it—on YouTube—I thought an ad had popped up, then I saw that the video hadn’t stopped and my astonishment turned into a sly and satisfied smile: what geniuses. What brilliance. With the previous work, the band had already made their intentions and the universe they wanted to evoke perfectly clear (does anyone remember the sample from the Dies Irae in "The Seventh Seal" at the start of the second track?), but here the group reaches artistic maturity. Screams and a touch of growl over truly excellent melodic fabrics, creating a powerful atmosphere.

If I really have to find a flaw in this work, it would be that—as is common with many atmospheric black metal albums—there are a couple of moments where your attention might dip a bit, but these are truly minor nits, because just as you think “this part is a bit less sharp…”, Abigor pulls an ace from the sleeve and your metallic ears will be re-awakened. The lyrics don’t reach any great peaks of profundity, let’s be honest: they range from bellicose anti-religious invocations to praising the winter.

So take advantage of the gray winter ahead because our guys will catapult you right into the heart of the blackest Middle Ages, with high-level sound constructions and a non-trendy flavor that at the time was new to everyone.

From the album booklet: "This vision should not be seen as part of the upcomung viking trend." Need I say more? No. Rating: 88/100.