Fornhem - Ett Fjarran Kall [Digipak]

2017 release. How often has primeval black metal been announced dead in the last twenty years? With their debut album Ett Fjärran Kall (A Call From Afar), Fornhem from Sweden prove those predictions to be pointless. While Vafthrudner and Solbane undoubtedly owe a lot to the aesthetics originally crafted by the pioneers of Scandinavian black metal, they nevertheless achieve to create their own approach by interpreting influences from a broad spectrum of folk (rock) music in a consciously minimalist and almost hypnotizing way. "Our aim is to make music that moves forward, even if it's minimal and repetitive, and we think that adding something or making slight alterations in a riff or chord progression makes it come alive and breathe", explains Vafthrudner the proven method of Fornhem. "Black metal in general is quite beautiful music behind all the layers of noise, and we want to enhance that by using minimalism. Also, quieter moments or using acoustic instruments creates an interesting dynamic as opposed to the 'wall of noise'. Reflecting the folk aspect of Fornhem, Solbane adds: "I think folk music as well as folk rock/metal has an inherent catchiness to it, it's simple and direct music that comes from the heart. We are certainly influenced both by the variety of Nordic folk music, as well as folk rock / metal, but our main influence is old school black metal, most notably Burzum, Dark Throne and Bathory, and also 70s and 80s classic hard rock/metal styles."