"Vittra" is the dazzling debut of the Swedish band Naglfar. And if today Naglfar seem like one of the many bands that, neither good nor bad, populate the saturated world of Black Metal, I assure you that it was not always so: "Vittra" is not remotely comparable, in intensity and inspiration, to their later works, and to miss out on this little gem, alas now forgotten, would be a real venial sin. And I address particularly those who know Naglfar only incidentally and were not impressed: believe me, "Vittra" is a superlative work from every point of view: in terms of songwriting, execution, and atmosphere. And, twelve years after its release, it still appears fresh and engaging as it did back then.
Indeed, we are at the end of 1995, and on the heels of their compatriots Dissection, they are able to craft a Black Metal with strong epic overtones, without shying away from melody and emphasizing the influences of classic metal. And if a statement like this may legitimately perplex the fan of the hardest and purest Black Metal, I can assure you that in "Vittra", epic metal and the authentic Black Metal spirit miraculously coexist.
First of all, there's the convincing vocal performance of Jens Ridén, in my opinion one of the best singers in the scene: his inspired and fierce screaming, which without conceding anything to melody, is able to interpret the various moods that permeate the work, a sort of nighttime walk in the woods that ends up taking on the properties of a true initiation rite. The woods as a place of providential encounters, as a dimension filled with dangers and terror, but also as a passage towards greater awareness. "Nothing new under the moon," you might say; "let's remember," I respond, "that we are still in years when forests, werewolves, and full moons were not yet so in vogue."
And beyond the lyrics, which outline an engaging concept, it's the music that convinces: the clean sounds of Peter Tagtgren, here in one of his best performances as a producer, do full justice to the inspired work of guitarists Andreas Nilsson, author of all the music, and Morgan Hansson, who are torn between lively gallops and engaging melodic lines. Buzzing guitars sketch out passages reminiscent of Maiden, and the distorted bass of Kristoffer Olivius, also a singer, adds a touch of roughness to the whole and occasionally supports Ridén's shrill screams with deep growls.
The impetuous attack of the opener "As the Twilight Gave Birth to the Light" is thus a false alarm, as the rest of the album settles on mid-tempos which, thanks to a solid performance from session drummer Matte Homgren, are actually more suitable for a Power Metal album than Black.
The listening experience proceeds smoothly, gliding over Nilsson's melodic talent and driven by Ridén's exuberant performance. A dynamic and personal sound where winning ideas abound: how can we not mention the excellent solo in "Enslave the Astral Fortress", the intro (which seems to be borrowed from "Skydancer" by Dark Tranquillity) of "Through the Midnight Spheres", the majestic keyboards of "The Eclipse of Infernal Storms", the engaging final gallop of "Emerging from her Weepings", the romantic (almost filth-like) fading piano of "Failing Wings", the delicate nighttime arpeggios of the title track, prelude to the concluding "Sinless Dawn" and "Exalted above Thrones", the episode that more than any other gives us authentically Black Metal shivers.
The extreme accessibility of sounds and melodies ultimately makes "Vittra" an appealing dish even for those who are not truly fans of the genre. Believe me, those 5 stars are well deserved. Even if it doesn't invent anything new. Even if it doesn't do anything out of this world. Just for the ability to convey emotions and the professionalism with which the intent is fulfilled. Give it a try to believe it!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Enslave the Astral Fortress (05:08)
The slench in the air
is cold as a winter night
The loss of my inner guest
The fallen star faded away...
Deeper, deeper I sink
into the embrace of sorrow
The winds of liars caresses me
Down here in the crying
valley of the dreamers
Detest and yearning tears me apart
I can see the thousand points of light
up in the burning sky
And I knew: it has to be done...
The salt of anquish
fills my bleeding veins
My heart is pierced by it's falseness
Darkness...
The pride is defeated
once again as I rise
I stand under a flaming sky
Deeper, deeper I sink
in hope to find the fallen star
and the secrets of the northern lights
Aurora Borealis, Stellae Trajectio
take me
Never again...
Nothing forever...
I can see the thousand points of light
up in the burning sky
And I knew: it had to be done...
And it seems like I'm swallowed
by it's mass of oblivion
and forever to be in flames...
03 Through the Midnight Spheres (05:29)
Among evil gods I sleep
Their ancient hymns were my dreams
But the vast and cold forest beckons
So I rose with the funeral moon
From my coffin of blackest stone
From the crypts which for aeons
embraced me
Through the portals and into the frozen night
It's calling for me...
In darkness reborned
Through the midnight spheres I dance
Spreading my wings
Caressing the black infernal night
"From a timeless past I have risen to
rule this kingdom of mine"
The eye of the wolves will guide me
through landscapes of ancient black
I am eternal, I am supreme
I ride the nocturnal winds
The cry of raves will carry me
Forth dimensions unknown by mortals
I am eternal, I am supreme
The nocturnal winds are mine
I descend into forests long forgotten
The naked trees united in perfect
melancholy
And I saw spirits dancing,
swirling insane
Their knowledge revealed to me
In darkness reborned
Through midnight spheres i dance
Spreading my wings
In this forest of pernicious black
Night is eternal
The sun is forever consumed
Embraced by the beautiful blackness
So sombre, so pure...
05 Emerging From Her Weepings (06:43)
Crawling in grief
across the distant fields
I am the desire of which engraved thee...
The formation was set
An enormous storm arouse
As the thirteenth night ablazed
with its web of obscurity
Oh, you glorious blackened
infernal screaming belle
Reveal the name,
unleash the path for bereavment
I have found the key
The key to the ancient flame
Awaiting the sight to dwell in mournful immortality
Like a breeze I levitate, only lead by the owl's wisdom
We followed her majestic sleep
so majestic and delight
Her weeping - touched me, caressed me
Her weeping - screamed and longed for me
Her weeping - gave me all her might
Her weeping - her weeping enthroned me
I am the desire of which branded you...
Into the glowing mist
Her moanings tore my cloak
Out from her empty veins I emerged with wrath and lust
My blood in her mouth I saw the passion
The cold passion to become what she became
Her weeping - touched me, caressed me
Her weeping - screamed and longed for me
Her weeping - gave me all her might
Her weeping - her weeping enthroned me
I shall remain, forced to meet the dawn
Bleeding widow, I belong to her
The clouds were black as the starless night
For sunset I yearn, dusk you mysterious
06 Failing Wings (04:12)
There will be no beauty
The secrets of the unborn
An angel's cries with it's shattered wings
The holy blood is spilled
I fell from grace, I fell into the
deepest abyss
The evocations wrath hit me like a fist
To burst out in scars of distant grief
The August flames swallowed me with
it's kiss
Never to be found is the key to purgatory
I felt the winds of death and it's fury
They approached from the halls of
sacred duty
The fall of daylight has begun
From the ruins of my domain
They gathered with a pagan oath
to reign these walls for aeons
Hungry for the bewinged
The fullmoon I adore
and it's victory
I raise my hand with their blood in me
As blasphemy rains over me....
[Repeat second verse]
Fullmoon...
08 Sunless Dawn (04:56)
Hear the howlings in the night
I'm one with it's might
Enchanted by the calling cries
As I gaze into the sombre skies
Awaiting the shining,
the fire neverseen
Waiting for the darkened path which'll
lead me straight
to the one who dance in my dreams
In surrounding flames I must be
wrapped
Wolves run by my side
As I walk towards eternity
In hate they'll gather with my shadows
as the moon arise
A scent of twilight
Into fading woods I march
I glimmer a shyness in the red
In eternal dreams I drown...
As the children of Fenris
sang their fullmoon serenade
I made love to the midnight winds
The forest embraced me
with it's impurity
In ecstasy my tears fell
like autumn silver rain
Now I stand above the human race
I've solved it all, the mystery of night
It's revealed to me
With a smile I see
These stars (unseen) formalion
that breeds my sunless dawn
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