Einherjer
Aurora Borealis

Unobtainable, hailing from a distant world, geographically but especially culturally, "Aurora Borealis" hits us with its Nordic wave filled with pagan-Scandinavian sentiments, in the truest sense of the term. Though not new to the genre, a viking strongly influenced by black metal, the "Eternal Undead of the Netherworld" manage in this release, one of the first of their career, to appear fresh and captivating.

The opener, "De Sorte Sjøers Land", compelling and brimming with pure Walahlla culture, drags you in with a cold, clean riff into that semi-unknown world still untouched by Southern-Christian influences, which would soon almost entirely obliterate the way of life of the inhabitants of those regions. Noteworthy is the singer's technique, who intentionally taints the screaming with a partial overdubbing, while he sings with a deep, clean voice about his "Black Marine Lands" during choruses or more acoustic passages. Glesnes similarly strums his guitar strings, only to then restore it to its more "normal" function, that is, to enhance the vocal and compositional talents of Bjelland.

Perhaps the best piece is the title track, a spectacular ride on the nightly waves of the North Sea, accompanied by a repetitive riff, and a voice even darker and denser with ominous forebodings, altered to a diaphanous, breathtaking purely viking choir which constitutes the essence of the track, which seems more complex and structured than it might appear at first glance. What is undoubtedly conveyed is engagement, and an impassioned immersion into the story, imagined or otherwise.

Slightly different is the third track, "Witchking", more black and perhaps a bit less engaging, partly lacking the icy clean vocals of Rune "Nidhogg" Bjelland. However, Grimar’s solo and a few notes from Thonar’s synth are present, making the piece, if not quite celestial, at least appreciable in its instrumental components.

Closing with the very unique "Einherjer", a delicate and veiled whisper, which involves but does not overshadow the equally delicate, delightful guitar arpeggio, enhanced by the notes of Audun "Thonar" Wold, and barely overshadowed by the drums, perhaps the instrument a bit too absent in this mini . The main value of the piece, however, likely belongs to Frode "Grimar" Glesnes, capable on his own of creating a melodic line that, without resorting to over-the-top dark and livid tones, quickly but seamlessly conveys sensations from natural cold to the purest acoustic pleasure.

Brief, then, but full of many of those sensations that have made the fortune of countless black-viking bands, and which are indeed partially absent in many releases post-97. Enjoyable, hence, and also rather "instructive"...