Forgotten Woods
As The Wolves Gather

Tomorrow I have the oral test for the final exam, so logically, I should be buried in books; but no, because I have long felt I should review this nice little disc and now I feel like doing my duty as a good metal missionary.

I should clarify that the band has split up after they started playing a type of music very different from what they proposed in this debut and the subsequent, magnificent "The Curse Of Mankind". Here, instead, we are right at the dawn of the band (or rather the duo) when they were still playing a sort of "Depressive" Black with evident Burzum influences; calling it Depressive Black is probably a bit exaggerated, but since describing it as "atmospheric" could lead to misinterpretations, I prefer to define it this way.
Even calling it Black is a stretch, and when I mention this I mean the earliest Black, the one more influenced by Thrash and therefore rougher. The most evident influence is that of the aforementioned Burzum, who exactly three years earlier, in 1991, debuted with the historic "Aske": starting from their approach to music itself (the conception of long and sometimes repetitive but extremely emotional songs) and ending with the voice and sound, there is no doubt that these two Norwegians continued the path of their "illustrious" compatriot.

However, these guys have not been involved in assorted crimes nor have they ever had anything to do with the dark stories of Black Metal from the early nineties; they only share with that scene an interest in themes related to paganism and the history of their land. While this might not attract those who are more fascinated by artists' sordid personal stories, it plays in favor of Rune and Olav (these are the names of the two members), who emerge as more serious and integral musicians. What I immediately liked about this group is that they do not abuse the genre clichés, leaving aside all that is appearance to focus on the substance, something which in a genre like Black (and in those years) is no small feat.
In truth, as I already specified, there is very little depressive about them, and I have categorized them this way only because there is no "Melancholic Black", perhaps the description that would suit them best. They do not draw from Burzum the despair and grim misanthropy but leave more space for nostalgic sentiments typical of Burzum's more "sweet" (for example) instrumental pieces. The aim is achieved through sounds that (for whatever strange reason) manage to evoke typically Nordic landscapes and settings in the mind: credit goes to a very inspired songwriting, which showcases excellent guitar parts.

Even the more violent outbursts are pleasant and accompanied by melodies that are not whiny but not insipid either, alternating with delightful acoustic parts in their sadness. The bass lines, like those of the guitar, are not very difficult, but it is clear that technique in such a musical genre is not of much use; even from an extremely simple riff, they manage to evoke immediate and strong emotions, without leading to the inner devastation of more properly Depressive bands (Leviathan primarily).
The eight songs are long ballads, not without accelerations but preferring to linger on heartbreaking melodic digressions: above all, hovers a not overly filtered voice which, in my opinion, is not exceptional but in the end does not detract much from the rest. The production is good, a classic for works of that genre and period; raw and icy to make the sound dry and sharp but not so dirty as to confuse the sounds.

The only thing that doesn't make me give the highest marks is the fact that the album, compared to the ones that followed, is a bit immature, something noticeable especially in the composition, which, while already good, will be more refined later on. "As The Wolves Gather" is a very good album, full of emotions that can be shared by everyone and not only by those living particularly harsh situations: a great merit of the work, this, which makes it appealing to fans of extreme metal and beyond.