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The atmospheric disturbances of the past few weeks have literally catapulted us into a scenario that would be reductively described as Nordic. I myself couldn't resist taking advantage of this little Norway that extended beyond my condominium. Armed with a bear fur and a Viking headgear, I began wandering the streets of Modena in a semi-confused state, invoking Odin and convincing many people to join me in the celebration of various pagan rites. Perhaps some of you even saw me... So what to use as a soundtrack for these delirious pilgrimages through streets whitened by the soft snow? I would opt for one of the best albums that ever existed in the panda-black-fucking metal genre, born in Norway around the late '80s and early '90s: Nemesis Divina by Satyricon.
Released in 1996 (perhaps a little too late compared to the masterpieces of some of their compatriots), it incorporates everything that made true black in those years and some slight touches of novelty, especially in the production which, while still low, remains above any other true black album. Another element not to be overlooked are the keyboards, used more to give breath to the songs than to create catacombal or particularly oppressive atmospheres, an intuition already had by Dimmu Borgir and then picked up by Kovenant (just to mention the most famous). To tell the truth, the songs contained within this Nemesis Divina aren't very beautiful, indeed... however, Satyr and Frost (incredible the violence of his drumming) manage to create two absolute masterpieces such as Forhekset and Mother North, which alone are worth the price of the album and the 10 years of the Norwegian group’s career.
The first starts with an arpeggio that progressively develops until reaching the final apotheosis with a wonderful up-tempo where piano and guitar intertwine to create an atmospheric folk feel. The second is a perfect mix of more explosive parts and instead slower, reflective, at times doom parts. After all, the equation tremolo picking + blast beats with ride/blast beats with slightly open hi-hat leaves no escape and this is further proof of it. The other tracks do not differ much from what was proposed by the dozens of black groups that came before this Nemesis Divina (although with Medieval Times of 1993, Satyricon managed to be among the first in this black race) and indeed almost seem composed in a manner absolutely lacking originality.
Few plot twists, the riffs follow one another linearly, despite the many time changes (gasp) and odd/composite times (brrrr) that peek here and there. However… Mother North remains there on the pedestal, unmatched… just below is Forhekset. I don't know how much sense it makes to “buy” a CD for only two songs, but I assure you that it is probably worth it. Ah, I almost forgot... be wary of this group.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 The Dawn of a New Age (07:27)
"And I looked, And behold a pale horse:
And his name that sat on him was Death
And Hell followed with him. And power was given
Unto them over the fourth part of the earth,
To kill with sword, And with hunger, And with death,
And with the beasts of the earth".
And then again "I saw and beheld, a black horse;
And he that sat on him had a scythe; And a crown
Was given unto him and he went forth conquering, And to Conquer
And there was a great earthquake, And the sun became black
As sackcloth of hair, And the moon became as blood.
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,
Even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs,
When she is shaken of a mighty wind, And the heaven
Departed as a scroll when it is rolled together,
And every mountain and island were moved out of their Places."
Almighty mountains and rocks, I beg you fall on them.
For the great day of wrath is coming, And who shall be able to stand?
02 Forhekset (04:31)
Forhekset av tidenes vind, Besatt av Nattens kolde gufs
Under ravnsvart himmel de bedriver Blodskam og hor
Med skingrende stemmer de påkaller Dypets makter
I en sirkel bundet av Grimme visjoner
Båret av dyrets Glans, Omfavnet av dødens vinger
Av det dypeste hat i det sorteste av det mørke
I en eng av torner... Nå i fullmånens besettende lys
De nagler englene til jorden med sjel og kropp
Kaos hersker over de hvite domener
Profetier blir oppfylt
Jorden står i et hav av flammer
03 Mother North (06:25)
Mother North, How can they sleep while their beds are Burning?
Mother North, Your fields are bleeding
Memories... The invisible wounds
Pictures that enshrine your throne, Gone
A Future benighted still they are blind
Pigeonhearted beings of flesh and blood
Keeps closing their eyes for the dangers that Threat...Ourselves and our nature
And that is why
They all enrage me
Sometimes in the dead of the night I mesmerize my soul
Sights and visions prophecies and horror
They all come in one
Mother North, United we stand (Together we walk)
Phantom North, I'll be there when you hunt them down
04 Du som hater Gud (04:21)
Du som hater gud, og kristent liv
Føler hans nervær, som en bitter kreft
Her må det skjendes, og skjendes kvasst
Himmerikets enger, dynket i blod
Hater av gud
Og lyspesten
Se inn i guds lamme øyne
Så spytter de i hans åsyn
Slå i hjel hans ynkelige lam
Med klubbe
Gud med ditt og dine
Har du lagt mitt norgesrike, i ruiner
Fordumstiders staute skikk og bruk
Kvestet du med dine stygge ord
Nå skal du bort fra vår mark
05 Immortality Passion (08:23)
I am the beast in passionate pain
I am the grim being of the highlands
Of the other side...
I am winter when you freeze
I am the hammer and you are the anvil
Forever in warfare my heart is
With my passion of despair
Still though I was there when the hills were born
And when the wind blew for the first time
So there are reasons for my existence
Seems like I dwell in a circle
Somewhere in the Nordic Hemisphere
Where the howling winds rage
And the mountains are majestic
I can breathe and where there is
Human flesh I feel strangled
Open the gate to immortality
I stand proud awaiting the glory
Of a new morning...Darkness
06 Nemesis Divina (06:54)
Eder har gjort vaart rike raattent
eder har gjort vaart gull rustent
og flammene fra de veldige sletter er alt vi har aa minnes fra verdig
manns tid
Eder har bragt kvalmende lys i dragens hule
eder har malt kors paa hammer
og vi har siktet pilen paa menneskesønnens usle trone
Nemesis divina splinten i øyet paa jehova
Nemesis divina kniven i hjertet paa guds sønn
Eder har bragt elsk til fiende
Eder har gjort ravn til due Men det olme øyet er vendt mot eder og hevnens
klokke ringer
Eder er vitnesbyrd om brente broer og glemte sanger
Eder er barmhjertighetens fedre og milleniumspestens budbringere
Dog skal en dag naa komme da eder barn i tre skal henge
Nemesis divina splinten i øyet paa jehova
Nemesis divina kniven i hjertet paa guds sønn
For stridsmenn har naa hevet øksen og bespottelsens tegn er reist
Nemesis divina - for straffen maa komme
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Other reviews
By Tepes
"‘This is Armageddon,’ says the singer, and immediately a vortex of tempestuous icy Norwegian evil storms blew out from the stereo speakers!"
"‘Nemesis Divina’ was a successful purchase, the cherry on the cake, the cheese on the macaroni, and why not, a thorn in the side."
By SeventhKing
"Nemesis Divina represents the purest and most devastating essence of what is defined as True Norwegian Black Metal."
"The seven acts that comprise it are true Nordic anthems, passionate, cruel yet at the same time veiled with melancholy for the awareness of the relentless passage of time."
By Lustmord
"It takes just 30/40 seconds of this track to truly realize that Evil has decided to play with music."
"Mother North is one of the greatest black metal songs as well as a monument of pagan pride and hatred towards Christians."
