Craft
Void

Active on paper since 1994 but ruthless creators of darkness since 1999, the Swedish CRAFT have arrived at their definitive album. After gems such as "Terror Propaganda" and "Fuck the Universe," John Doe and Joakim Karlsson deliver their most mature album, distinctly moving away from their primordial, raw origins to reach new shores marked by a clearer and more powerful production than they have ever had.

Forget the classic black metal riffs they had accustomed us to and skillfully blend the old Craft creature with new stylistic dictates from the rock school of yesteryear (Black Sabbath above all). Indeed, you will be astonished by the fact that the band has finally taken shape and found an explosive mix of black cult and nods to the classic sacred monsters of rock from forty years ago. The very "Come Resonance of Doom" embodies 99% of the "pure black metal" concept.
It boasts a very doom-oriented main riff and classic black excursions but with violent hints at the genre's evolutions of the last 5/10 years. The shadow of Satyricon occasionally surfaces, and the band has heavily implemented this influence in favor of a minimalist preponderance present in almost every track on the album (The Ground Surrenders).

There are no significant sonic assaults; rather, all tracks proceed at a moderate pace, weighing down the listener under continual negative pressure.

In more "black'n'roll" oriented parts, they recall the best Carpathian Forest, but beware, they recall, they do not replicate! A negative note is the use of the drum machine, which has removed that added value from the work but undeniably made their already piercing sound colder. Ultimately, CRAFT is the natural evolution of a genre that has more or less said everything, where in 1999 the best albums in the Black arena were already written, and very few could subsequently challenge the foundations set by the masterpieces of the genre.

"Leaving the Corporal Shade" appears as the most inspired episode of the entire album, which with a remarkably slow and ominous pace leads us through a dark, senseless void. The riffs overlap, disturbing the melodic lines, and the voice shrouds the entire piece in suffering, eventually leading to a blasting sonic suicide.
"I Want to Commit Murder" is the most classic track of the platter with clear 80s thrash influences and references to early Celtic Frost (solo in particular). We then move on to "Bring on the Clouds" (neither here nor there) and "Void," the most experimental track of the full-length.

In conclusion, an excellent effort from the Swedish band and a 100% confirmation in the Scandinavian extreme scene.
Approved for the excellent packaging and terribly cold and calculated sounds.