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 Felix on August 2, 2021.

Cold Is The Grave - golden realization! But that's just the beginning with a band that bears the not at all clichéd name Hellsword and adorns their debut with artwork that would fit any black/death combo from a South American slum. This trio here, however, hails from the opposite of a filthy poverty quarter. The three from the hellish sword forge greet from Slovenia, the big, beautiful nature park of the former Tito state (if you disregard the rusty industrial facilities of Jesenice). Anyway, even in a heavenly environment you can apparently be in a constant bad mood and so the band thrashes through nine black/speed bastards. In the promo the author talks about "Slovenia's answer to the first black metal wave". But first of all this answer would come quite late after about 40 years and secondly from my point of view neither the mega-heavy gloominess of Hellhammer nor the chaotic element of early Venom is particularly present here. The hint that Hellsword should please fans of Deströyer 666 I don't really understand either, because the aura of the musical content is quite different. Anyway, Hellsword still make me feel good with their bad mood. A nice paradox, I think - and much better than if it were the other way around.

To my unwashed ears Hellsword sound like a mix of Nifelheim and Baphomet's Blood. This is truly not the worst combination. So, I listen with interest to the fluidly constructed songs, which of course like to make use of some Motörhead riffs of the dirtiest kind. Sometimes this speed rock'n'roll design shimmers through a little too strongly for me, but mostly Hellsword keep things balanced and don't lack the necessary blackness. If you give yourself names like "Mark Massacre", you should just massacre the one or other dogma of harmony theory. The band does that, too, not only poaching in high-speed areas. 'Cursed Blood' doesn't sound like Hellhammer either, but at least has some parts that reanimate "(Beyond the) North Winds" the Celtic frost. Ultimately, the guys from Slovenia do not have to align themselves with any scene greats of bygone days. Their own music does not lack malice, power or energy and the last prize for exceptional originality in the speed/black metal segment was probably awarded around 1995 anyway. In any case, I don't rack my brains over whether I've encountered the chilling riffs somewhere before, but simply enjoy the album's climaxes. 'Unholy Reich', for example, storms straight into my brain and heart, as its rapid elegance, coherent catchiness and natural meanness simply add up to a terrific result.

Hellsword have chosen a stylistic direction that lives from its simplicity. There may be one or the other suspicious whether nine songs with a playing time of 42 minutes do not attract attention with an excess of repetitions. The answer is as simple as the music: no. The Sword of Hell keeps the tracks varied and mostly exciting, for example in the excellent 'Baphomet's Shrine'. No question, the band has a knack for the right number of tempo changes and for relatively catchy choruses. Why the "only" good songs are at the beginning of the record and the killers at the end is beyond me, but it's also a welcome change from 98% of the competition. In short, this is a cool, more or less flawlessly produced debut. And always remember, if you ever get tired of life: Cold Is The Grave.

Rating: 7.7 out of 10