Review by Vanass on April 4, 2020.

Stridslysten is one of the best black metal releases of 2019. It is the full-length album of the Swedish band Skald in Veum, which I hope there will be many more of in the future. All in all, it is a significant improvement of the band's sound and technical skills compared to their EP 1260 Days, which admittedly were never bad from the beginning.

The opening and title track 'Stridslysten' simply impresses the listener with aggressive and absurdly fast riffs that we all love, with strong groovy elements in the further course of the song, all accompanied by very pleasant blast beats. It's exactly what you would expect from Swedish black metal, but this track exceeds even the most optimistic expectations with raw energy and incredible speed and sets the tone and atmosphere for the rest of the album. Most of the riffs on the whole album are played in fast tempo and are very atmospheric, but still remain in the domain of classic black metal. Of course, there are also some slower parts like the middle part of my favorite track 'As Wolves Among Sheep', which are only used to build up the atmosphere, but what really stands out are the black'n'roll riffs that pop up every now and then. The sound of the guitars is relatively clean due to the only slightly raw production. At least in the studio version, the drums sound incredible and fit perfectly to the music with inhuman precision. I don't doubt that with enough discipline and a healthy work ethic such a level of technical skill can be achieved, but Resh is credited for both the guitars and the drums, so I'm almost convinced that the drums or at least some parts of them have been programmed. This shouldn't bother anyone, because the composition as a whole is a masterpiece of modern black metal. If my doubts about Resh's drumming skills turn out to be wrong, I have to apologize to him personally. The bass was played by Zhajiin. Compared to their previous release, the bass sound is still strong, but a little weaker. One thing I love about this band is the fact that despite the strong atmospheric side of their music they still manage to sound "heavy", all thanks to Zhajiin's bass.

The overall atmosphere is dark and just full of rage. The lyrics are radical in the sense of modern norms and represent a way of thinking that I can definitely support and understand. Heth, probably the most mysterious figure in the whole unblack metal scene, was responsible for the lyrics, which still surprise me in a good way. I just hope that their message and their music will reach a wider audience in the future.

This band represents exactly what modern black metal bands sound and should be; orthodox black metal, fueled by pure anger about existing social norms and supported by strong ideals, capable of creating new musical landscapes on old foundations.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Felix on February 25, 2020.

Slechtvalk are back. It took them six years to release a new album, among other things because their former record company broke down. A long hiatus is sometimes difficult, especially after such a glorious album like A Forlorn Throne. The crucial question is whether the band was able to preserve its level of aggression, energy and compositional brilliance.

As feared, Where Wandering Shadows and Mists Collide fails to endanger the status of the excellent predecessor, which seems to remain their "once in a lifetime" work. Okay, the formation did not modify the style of its compositions. On the one hand, this is positive, because the listener gets what he expects. On the other hand, this fact makes it easy to compare this effort with A Forlorn Throne and the result is less flattering for the here reviewed album. The compositions are just weaker than those of the predecessor.

Although the songs still offer a mix of majestic, brutal, melodic and fast-paced sections, the band has lost its success formula. Opulence and variety are still of high relevance, but some inadequate sections like the soft guitars in the middle of 'Asternas' ruin the entire piece up to a certain extent. Other tracks possess a better flow, but the magic that shimmered through the nine tracks of A Forlorn Throne is gone. Too many stylistic devices like the integration of heroic, more or less clean vocals parts fail. And another problematic aspect must be mentioned. While each and every track is neither insubstantial nor amateurishly designed, the entire work is not able to keep the listener under suspense. From my point of view, the comparatively great number of soft parts affects the overall impression. (The cautious sections of 'March to Ruin' constitute the positive exception) Additionally, the album lacks compactness and this is slightly irritating in view of the fact that I am speaking about a horde with four studio albums under its belly.

However, the Dutch dudes still offer a wide spectrum from emotional sequences to blast beats driven eruptions. In its best moments, the album expresses a certain grandeur and / or achieves a profound depth. The guitar leads of 'Rise and Fall' give the listener the possibility to take a deep dive into the musical galaxy of Slechtvalk, to name but one example. Enthusiastic fans of Viking metal will also love the typical melody line that kicks off the quasi title track 'Wandering Shadows' as well. However, Slechtvalk were not able to make full use of their options. The guys did not compose a bad album, yet I predict that it will fall into oblivion, rather sooner than later. The lack of really outstanding songs cannot be overcome.

Rating: 6 out of 10