Dødsfall – Døden Skal Ikke Vente

Band: Dødsfall
Title: Døden Skal Ikke Vente
Label: Osmose Productions
Release Date: 25 January 2019
Country: Norway/ Sweden 
Format reviewed: Digital

This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the formation of Norwegian black metal act Dødsfall, therefore it seems fitting that after a four-year lull they are set to unleash their highly anticipated, fifth full-length recording “Døden Skal Ikke Vente”. The album contains ten tracks of cold, raw black metal and is a debut for drummer Telal, who previously played with acts such as TROLL, ISVIND, and ENDEZZMA.

“Døden Skal Ikke Vente” offers everything you need from a classic-styled black metal release. It’s grim, harsh, and foreboding, yet punctuated with moments of thrilling excitement and hints of melody. The pace is set with the opening track “Hemlig Vrede”, in which the listener is very quickly dunked into an acrid concoction of merciless drumming, heavy distortion and a flurry of tremolo picked riffs. The overlaying excoriating vocals deliver grim, dark themed Norwegian lyrics which together with the blast beats and bleak dissonant chords create a sound that is entrenched in the old school and very much aligned with the Norwegian style of black metal.

The composition of this album is masterful, engaging and demands your attention. At times the caustic crust crumbles and gives way to exquisite harmonies as executed in track three, “Svarta Drömmar”. Before you know it you are lulled into a torpid state by swooning, wailing guitar solos such as those in track eight, “För Alltid I Min Sjæl ”. The album concludes with a brief but beautiful acoustic guitar instrumental “Skogstrollet”, which is played over a frigid backing track of howling wind.

“Døden Skal Ikke Vente” stays true to the Dødsfall sound and the production is top shelf. The album was recorded at the renowned Necromorbus studio in Stockholm and enlists the producing talents of band member IS along with Tore Stjerma, who has worked with black metal titans MAYHEM, WATAIN, BEHEXEN, and FUNERAL MIST. The album was released on the 25^th of January through legendary French label Osmose Productions, which boasts previous releases from genre heavyweights such as IMMORTAL, ENSLAVED, NOKTURNAL MORTUM, HATE FOREST, DARK TRANQUILITY, IMPALED NAZARENE, and MARDUK.

Dødsfall are equipped with everything needed to achieve ‘classic’ status. With this release they have seemingly resummoned old demons and delivered a solid, modern work in the style of the second wave of black metal. I truly enjoyed this new offering. There may be no surprises or anything particularly groundbreaking on offer, but I’d rather high quality classic-styled black metal than innovation just for innovation’s sake. This may sound clichéd, but if it’s not broken don’t fix it, and “Døden Skal Ikke Vente” is well-balanced and perfectly intact. 7.5/10 Proua Metallist  

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