Shining - VI - Klagopsalmer (2009)

Musical suicideers Shining waste no time in grabbing you by the collar in VI - Klagospalmer, the opening track notably different from their past works in its tempo. As ever, blistering black metal with relative diversity, yet this is something new. Haunting keyboards adorn the beat. A solo with some grooving that would be more expected on a Children of Bodom album works its way in, giving way to the end of the song -- and a riff that sounds like the afterbirth running down Ministry's leg. That's a minor gripe, however. VI - Klagospalmer is not the unfiltered sadness found in V - Halmstad, that much is clear already.

"Plågoande o'helga plågoande" is a spastic assault that segues to another one of Shining's patented acoustic/clean singing passages, and back to some curious and unclassifiable metal. There is a power-esque lead, with the tried-and-true Shining rhythm guitar and Kvarforth's screams buried amongst the aural darkness. The song ends in a xylophone melody. Yeah, they topped the cowbell from the previous album. The third track, "Krossade drömmar och brutna löften" is again furious, yet it waxes and wanes, the lead guitar eventually weaving a sorrowful incantation alongside Kvarforth's bellow.

"Fullständigt jävla död inuti" is a soaring, distinct piece, at once luscious and green with its Eagles-esque mellow clean guitar styling, and at turns dank and tenebrous. Quite something, and definitely worth hearing. After an acoustic filler track we are delivered to "Total Utfrysning". It's the most like previous works of the band, but enough comparisons. I'm a big Shining fan, and to be honest, this album was a surprise. In the past I had felt even though I could not understand the lyrics I understood the essence of perdition, of suicide, through music itself. With this album, I feel none of that. In fact, if I had to say, I'd say it's on the verge of being more upbeat than grim. That doesn't make it a bad piece of work. It's definitely enjoyable, one of the most diverse albums I've heard in recent memory. It just doesn't make me want to off myself. Oh well, there's always Dopethrone for that.

Verdict: Win [8/10]

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