Shining
II: Livets ändhållplats

Shining by Niklas Kvaforth is a cursed band, a nickname mainly used to describe their second effort, "Livets.." which draws inspiration from the primordial works of Bethlehem, Abyssic Hate, and Burzum to coin a new subgenre, a branch of black metal called depressive, here in its most despairing and dark form. Alongside Nortt, Forgotten Tomb, Leviathan, and Xasthur, they were the first to venture into challenging themes that humanity tends to ignore for fear of mentioning certain topics, like depression, suicide, and death. The latter, the death of the individual as a lifeline toward a hostile and insensitive world.

The album sung in the mother tongue is a gem of pure sonic nihilism, with distressing and suffering guitar arpeggios and long tracks in which Kvaforth's piercing and painful screaming hails defeat and the thin line between life and death. Niklas began to venture into the musical world with the previous cursed yet still immature "within deep dark chambers" at 16 years old, so there is no shadow of a doubt that he is a talented artist and forerunner of this niche subgenre so close to the spirit of 90s black metal. The depressive has been a new resurgence for the entire category, and this "Livets..." is but a collection of cold arpeggios with a depressive mood, with almost doom metal tempos, and there are few blast beat outbursts in this work. Everything is shrouded in a thick veil of black pessimism (some have accused them of pure folly for their exasperated glorification of death, but this album is superlative black metal, a black gem to possess jealously) and the album cover is its dark-grey prelude with that lonely and dark dirt road that a depressed person might take to find comfort in another life, less painful and disheartening than the one we are forced to live every day.

Fantastic tracks and personal favorites are the fourth track "Död" and the final title track. After the first two albums, Shining will become another band, also thanks to the inclusion of drummer Hellhammer. But that is another story.. "Livets.." is a masterpiece and for this reason, it should be appreciated and listened to in its entirety without blinders and earplugs and without following the rumors about the controversial antics and constant glorification of suicide by Kvaforth and his associates to their fans.

In conclusion, boldly embrace this black gem of freezing and cold, heart-wrenching, and distressing black metal.

A milestone of the genre.