Review by Fernando on February 5, 2024.

Three years since their last full length, the Swedish and Dutch black metal and crust unit Dödsrit is back, with their newest record Nocturnal Will, and once again in conspiracy with Wolves Of Hades. What started as a solo act has become a very reliable and consistent unit since 2018, their brand of harsh and melodic style of black metal with elements of crust punk and hardcore certainly set them above the rest in both the traditional black metal scene, as well as the post-black metal and hardcore scenes.

Since the band are now in album #4, it's fair to say they have certainly perfected their signature sound, and the lineup has remained consistent since the project expanded from a solo outing into a full band in 2018 after the release of their sophomore album. Main man Christoffer Öster who was also the guitarist in the now legendary Swedish hardcore band Totem Skin, and his Dutch crew truly found themselves with 2021’s Mortal Coil, and for 2024’s Nocturnal Will they remain consistent, yet also ever expanding, as all the best elements of the previous record are refined while also adding more elements into their sound, making this record their most eclectic yet.

From the beginning the band wastes no time, album opener ‘Irjala’ is a 10 minute epic filled with melodic sorrow and dejected fury, as well as dynamic riffage and solos, d-beats, a full atmospheric breakdown before bringing back the blistering black metal onslaught any dedicated moshers could desire, and more impressively, it's a blitz, despite the overlong 10 minute mark, the song never feels long. I bring this up because the band display masterful dynamics throughout the album, the most out of left field element is the 45 second interlude ‘Ember And Ash’ which is an acoustic instrumental dirge, and yet it feels perfectly in line with the rest of the songs and the album, especially the track it precedes ‘Utmed Gyllbergens Stig’ which in turn is an instrumental riff-fest.

As a whole the entire record from beginning to end is a blast, and it’s filled with details you will pick up with every new listen, and what’s more impressive is how, despite how the band plays around with a lot of genres, black metal, hardcore, crust punk, classic heavy metal, there’s even some subtle power metal leanings with how the guitars soar and the presence of acoustic guitars also give it a neofolk vibe. The music is consistent, for the veteran black metal aficionado some parts may sound too melodic or too polished, but the band never forget their black metal essence, and they constantly push their eclecticism just enough to flex, but know when to bring it back to black metal, and the results are excellent. It’s melodic but not without grit, it’s melancholic but not overdramatic, the sound is crisp but not sterile, it’s a masterful balancing act through and through.

The last aspect I want to mention is the production, the band has always had a clean sound that’s reminiscent of the hardcore production in bands like Totem Skin, and more traditional melodic death metal, however, the clean sound really benefits the band’s style, because these sorrowful melodies and soaring riffs couldn’t sound as good as they do with a raw production, in fact, it would subtract and hamper the sound and atmosphere. That being said the very polished sound does put a hard wall between this band and other black metal acts, not that they care to begin with, Dödsrit created and mastered their own niche, and the results speak for themselves as this record is pretty much flawless, and even the moments where they stray beyond black metal or punk is more than compensated with excellent performances and a clear focus with a fully realized vision. All in all, Dödsrit have triumphed again, and they crafted another great album that’s certainly a great way to start 2024.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Fernando on February 5, 2024.

Three years since their last full length, the Swedish and Dutch black metal and crust unit Dödsrit is back, with their newest record Nocturnal Will, and once again in conspiracy with Wolves Of Hades. What started as a solo act has become a very reliable and consistent unit since 2018, their brand of harsh and melodic style of black metal with elements of crust punk and hardcore certainly set them above the rest in both the traditional black metal scene, as well as the post-black metal and hardcore scenes.

Since the band are now in album #4, it's fair to say they have certainly perfected their signature sound, and the lineup has remained consistent since the project expanded from a solo outing into a full band in 2018 after the release of their sophomore album. Main man Christoffer Öster who was also the guitarist in the now legendary Swedish hardcore band Totem Skin, and his Dutch crew truly found themselves with 2021’s Mortal Coil, and for 2024’s Nocturnal Will they remain consistent, yet also ever expanding, as all the best elements of the previous record are refined while also adding more elements into their sound, making this record their most eclectic yet.

From the beginning the band wastes no time, album opener ‘Irjala’ is a 10 minute epic filled with melodic sorrow and dejected fury, as well as dynamic riffage and solos, d-beats, a full atmospheric breakdown before bringing back the blistering black metal onslaught any dedicated moshers could desire, and more impressively, it's a blitz, despite the overlong 10 minute mark, the song never feels long. I bring this up because the band display masterful dynamics throughout the album, the most out of left field element is the 45 second interlude ‘Ember And Ash’ which is an acoustic instrumental dirge, and yet it feels perfectly in line with the rest of the songs and the album, especially the track it precedes ‘Utmed Gyllbergens Stig’ which in turn is an instrumental riff-fest.

As a whole the entire record from beginning to end is a blast, and it’s filled with details you will pick up with every new listen, and what’s more impressive is how, despite how the band plays around with a lot of genres, black metal, hardcore, crust punk, classic heavy metal, there’s even some subtle power metal leanings with how the guitars soar and the presence of acoustic guitars also give it a neofolk vibe. The music is consistent, for the veteran black metal aficionado some parts may sound too melodic or too polished, but the band never forget their black metal essence, and they constantly push their eclecticism just enough to flex, but know when to bring it back to black metal, and the results are excellent. It’s melodic but not without grit, it’s melancholic but not overdramatic, the sound is crisp but not sterile, it’s a masterful balancing act through and through.

The last aspect I want to mention is the production, the band has always had a clean sound that’s reminiscent of the hardcore production in bands like Totem Skin, and more traditional melodic death metal, however, the clean sound really benefits the band’s style, because these sorrowful melodies and soaring riffs couldn’t sound as good as they do with a raw production, in fact, it would subtract and hamper the sound and atmosphere. That being said the very polished sound does put a hard wall between this band and other black metal acts, not that they care to begin with, Dödsrit created and mastered their own niche, and the results speak for themselves as this record is pretty much flawless, and even the moments where they stray beyond black metal or punk is more than compensated with excellent performances and a clear focus with a fully realized vision. All in all, Dödsrit have triumphed again, and they crafted another great album that’s certainly a great way to start 2024.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Michael on December 19, 2024.

"In times of fire, in times of war" - it is really sad that the first words on the album reflect the worlds' situation that is so drastic and true. So it's also not a big surprise that Ereb Altor on their already 10th full-length album sounds very angry and harsh. The first track on Hälsingemörker is 'Valkyrian Fate' is a quite fast song which combines the typical trademarks of the Swedes. Clean vocals mixed with harsh black metal shouts and all of that is underlined with some dramatic Scandinavian melodies and an atmospheric keyboard.

But what turns out to be clear is that Ereb Altor focused more on some sad and pensive sounds on their new output. Sure, there is the typical riffing they did on their previous albums, too but the main arrangements appear to sadden the mind much more.

'Ättestupan' is a very good example for this. Kept quite doomy and dark, the song structures are highly melodic with emotions that might make you feel very unsettling and sad. Mats' bright vocals underline this hopelessness and sadness, maybe it is also to blame to the vocals mix that make them hall pretty much. Apart from these stylistic tricks, the pace is kept in a very strange rhythm, just like what Cannibal Corpse did on their last album with their title track "Chaos Horrific".

'The Last Step' though is much faster and sounds like a desperate trip through the vast winter landscapes of a deep frosted Sweden. Here you have all emotions – hope, desperation, hate and resignation altogether. Yeah, okay it is also their longest track on Hälsingemörker but this doesn't mean often too much. But not here, this song is super epic and diverse. Maybe one of their most diverse and best ones ever, I'd say.

What I cannot say from 'The Waves, The Fire And The Pyre' unfortunately. This song ripples through its over 7 minutes running time and not too much happens here. You have a certain atmosphere here, all fine but this is too much atmosphere and too little action. Just like sailing when there is calm on the lake. Sorry, but this, you can do better! 'Skögsrået' is another one that doesn't excite me too much because of too little tension. But this one turns out a bit better because of the traditional Swedish violin that appears here. But again, a little bit more would be fine.

Fortunately these two songs are the only ones that are falling off the quality of the album and with 'Vi Är Mörkret' they offer us a fast disgusting black metal song with evil vocals and pummeling drums. Of course there are also the Ereb Altor-typical clear vocals so that it doesn't turn out to be "pure" black metal but it's very close to that.

As you probably can read from my lines, there is some light and some shadow on Hälsingemörker, in which there is more light to find here obviously. Apart from the songs, the production of the album is very saturated and powerful again, no reason to contemplate here. Also the album cover looks very nice again, so I would assume that we have a better than average Ereb Altor album with this. Some extraordinary songs vs. two more or less unspectacular songs make (at least in my subjective point of view) a…

Rating: 8 out of 10