Shining
V - Halmstad

It is hardly possible to remain objective when talking about a band like Shining, and it's especially difficult to stay unbiased when dealing with an over-the-top character like Kvarforth, the undisputed leader and the only indispensable musician in the ranks of the Swedes.

Detractors and admirers tend to get fired up with each release of the group, ready to unleash their respective arguments: for some, Shining represents the most unhealthy and dark side of black metal with their depressing lyrics and claustrophobic atmospheres; for others, the Swedes are just clowns engaged in tasteless marketing stunts of dubious moral value. The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in between: although, for better or worse, Kvarforth is one of the most significant figures in the black metal scene (he was only 14 when he recorded his first EP "Submit To Selfdestruct" as a vocalist), it is also true that he has never succeeded, despite the various masterpieces he has produced ("Within Deep Dark Chambers" and "Livets Handallplatz"), in delivering a performance with his group that clearly sets them above every possible rival (which has happened for Nortt, Xasthur, Leviathan, Urfaust, and Silencer).

As you may have guessed, not even this "V: Halmstad" is the proof that could have turned Shining into gods, rather than just an excellent group as they are now. It is also clear from the discussions heard in chats, forums, magazines, or simply among friends: not many have clear opinions about which of the last three Swedish albums is the best, after the change that transformed the group from the third chapter onwards. Three albums well above average, "Angst" with its thrashy spirit, "IV: The Eerie Cold" with its alternation of raw black metal and acoustic moments, but none distinctly better than the others.

This new chapter, it must be said, eliminates the glaring flaws of the still excellent previous album, achieving a more mature awareness in the fusion of the metallic and acoustic elements. The diverse inspirations and suggestive heresies appear in the tracks of the album without betraying the group's style, rather increasing its charm, albeit through a gradual departure from the purest and most genuine black metal. Long piano digressions - including an extensive homage to Beethoven - and moments scented with Dark Wave alternate with more sustained parts, descendants of the dirty riffing of Carpathian Forest.
The vocal performance is also top-notch, decidedly less intrusive than the previous chapter (even though I really liked it) and always evocative; the leader's influence can be felt in the new compositions, more complex than before, and possibly an attention towards other Depressive sounds to borrow from (like the ambient-orchestral parts of the Dutch Urfaust).

Finally, the packaging of the album is noteworthy, the attention to detail, the recording, and the excellent production; all elements that best emphasize the additional technical effort made by the group over recent years: it is rare nowadays to hear underground bands play at such a high level, with precision, cleanliness, and flair.

Such a triumphal description should not, however, overlook the heavy limitations of the group. For some time now, Shining are no longer the leaders of the Depressive scene, not even at the European level, given that the evolution in sound has paralleled even the Italian Forgotten Tomb, and in my opinion, with results decidedly more personal and original. If "V: Halmstad" does not showcase the flaws of the previous chapter, it is also true that it fails to replicate the intensity from an interpretative point of view, nor to repeat itself when comparing individual songs: the choice to dilute the chapters into more ambient solutions has led to certain solutions feeling slightly impersonal. It seems that the group, despite producing impeccable albums, has been evolving for years without ever reaching a satisfying point of equilibrium.

But probably for the band, beyond the music, there is an increasingly extreme image, increasingly without a reason behind it (given the gradual move away from black metal the band is experiencing): it will suffice to remember that to keep attention on themselves, not more than a year ago, Kvarforth found himself forced to fake suicide, emigrating to the Swedish forests for a couple of months, before returning to the scene with a new album (this one) and a new stage name (Ghoul).

Saturday night depression...