Blodsgard - Monument (2013)

Blodsgard is a black metal project involving Stein Akslen and his sometimes collaborator Fredrik Rex from Minneriket (who I will go into more detail on elsewhere). It's a fairly stark contrast to Minneriket in that it's approach is vectored in from a more big budget, purely Norse black metal style rather than the more subversive, mechanical and ambient nature of that other project. Monument is the sole album thus far and it was put out well before the latest wave of newer bands who are headed back in that traditional 90s BM direction, worshiping their Scandinavian forefathers; and you can tell that these were already deeply involved with the aesthetics, because this album is beyond mere competence, and quite gripping for anyone who wants this genre delivered with an icy certainty.

It's quite intense, battering black metal here, not as mindblowing as a band like Nordjevel, but featuring some great if predictable riffing, a bold production and atmosphere, and the very hoarse rasped vocals of Mr. Rex, which are fucking monstrous, and from what I gather this album is mostly just his own baby, with Stein contributing the lyrics. The production of the drums and the unforgiving, wintry nature of the recording definitely bring to mind some of the mid-period Immortal records, although I think these guys keep the riffs a bit simpler and more immediately catchy than those frost-gods. All the songs have their own identity while flowing together seamlessly into the whole, and while the drums have a bit more pep than I'm used to in a lot of other records in the genre, they blend so well with the choppier low end rhythm guitars and even the tinsel-like synthesizer lines often sprinkled over the top.

This is a killer of an album, and in retrospect, one I wished I paid more attention to upon its release, it scratched all the right itches, and even goes one further in pieces like the title track which has the perfectly calm atmosphere to contrast all of the heavier barrages surrounding it, almost like the perfect 'eye of the storm' set right into the middle of the tumult. It's not all that novel, granted, but its simply a quality production on par with what a lot of the long-term pros can put out, and the only real downside is that they haven't put out anything more in the decade since...get on that!

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

https://blodsgard.bandcamp.com/