Svartsyn – Requiem
Sweden
Carnal Records
Sweden's Svartsyn is one of those bands you cannot possibly get tired of listening to due to the unequivocal quality of their output. They embody everything that black metal is about: ideologically, musically, artistically – and they have never conformed to any insipid trends or given a damn about impressing the audience with "pretty" tunes to get groupies or anything like that. They are also one of the few bands that can change their sound from album to album and still sound coherent and worthwhile without repeating themselves. Each album presents a new identity while still staying within the confines of the genre. Last year's “Requiem” is a prime example of this.
The band once again shows their knack for finely crafted morbid metal that exudes an inherent and universal hatred for everything and everyone. That's the feeling you get when you listen to this album. It doesn't get any blacker than that. On "Requiem", the band emits a very oppressive and crushing atmosphere that is almost a little doomy to some degree, but that's mainly due to the immensely dense production. It just goes to show how proficient the band is at crafting a really eerie and unholy atmosphere which pairs well with the ominous mid-tempo of the music.
It's very intense and peppered with excellent riffs and interesting counterpoints. The drumming on this album is pretty tight, with lots of inventive fills and fast pounding that sounds pretty damn menacing when combined with the bass and the soul-piercing riffs. The vocals are somewhere between a rasp and an acute scream, yet hateful and full of emotion. In short, they are effective and fitting to the music. The atmosphere of this album can be described as gloomy, but also apocalyptic and sinister. The bass is also well-executed and can be heard throughout the mix; it definitely adds depth and gives it a very devilish sound.
Each song on "Requiem" is outstanding and can be enjoyed on its own, although the album is best experienced as a whole and is most impressive that way. This was one of my personal favourite albums from 2020, and I recommend it to anyone with good taste, or if you like other great black metal bands like Antaeus, Katharsis, and A.M.S.G. (HT)