Review by Michael on November 3, 2024.

Norwegian Svarttjern has always been a super underrated band in my humble opinion. They have existed for over 20 years now and have already released five albums which all have been on a more or less constant high quality level. Okay, Towards The Ultimate was a little bit uninspired compared to the rest but they are always quite entertaining and write enjoyable music if you are into black metal that drips from Celtic Frost vibes with a lot of thrash elements that is.

And here we have their newest output Draw Blood which starts with a spoken intro in 'Determination' that somewhat sounds like a male domina (Or is it a domino then? Asking because we have this super cool gender discussion here in Germany these days, just want to be politically correct with that, not that I caused a female shitstorm with this review!!) telling young Mr. Spock to leave his actual life behind. But after these spoken words, the hell breaks loose. Typical harsh guitar riffs blast you straight away and soon the songs reveal the typical thrash parts that bands like Urgehal also incorporated in their songs. But before we have to listen to some more tortured, screaming vocals that go hand in hand with hateful spewed-out vocals by HansFyrste. That's cool, I want some more of this.

Well, and I get it. The next track starts with a casual Slayer-riff and keeps this thrashy vibe the whole time. The vocal lines are sung pretty melodic (if you can talk about melodies in this hateful vocal range) and the structure is kept pretty catchy. The bass is somehow a little bit scratchy and dirty and gives the song a certain rough and dirty vibe, too. Apropos thrash – this is something that shines through in all the nine self-composed tracks and is what I always liked when it comes to Svarttjern. But it isn't this kind of sterile thrash that a lot of bands do these days, their thrash borrowings go much more way back to when this all was sinister, threatening, and dirty. Sort of old Sodom or Kreator only painted black. And when we are talking about Svarttjern, you also know that they never did too many high-speed orgies in their songs but are always pretty mid-tempo orientated with this certain groove that makes hellish fun to listen to them. So if you like the aforementioned bands, it will probably be a pleasure for you to listen to the Norwegians.

Lyrically they go deep into the abyss of the human mind – mutilation, pain, punishment. And this is also stressed out in the vocals. They sound pretty sick, I would say this is the sickest performance they ever did on an album. The lyrics aren't only screamed out but also yelled or moaned. This is what black metal needs to be ugly and despicable. And with 'Under My Thumb' they did a really cool Rolling Stones cover which fits pretty well to the rest of the music. This one is a cool blackish version of the 1966 song and sounds (especially through the vocals) really sick. Honestly, I was super surprised when I heard this song the first time but it kicks ass.

Draw Blood has become a really good album and should be in each playlist of every black metal maniac for sure! And coming back to the title and considering that the band sounds thrashier than ever – “Bonded By Blood” might be a huge inspiration for Draw Blood I would state.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Jeger on October 24, 2024.

Norwegian bastard sons of corruption, Svarttjern, are back! And they’re offering up nothing less than what they’ve always dealt out: aggressive, thrash-dominated black metal that sickens, rapes, and defiles. A misunderstood band whose lyrical excursions detail the animalistic nature of man; our baser instincts and flaws. Embrace the depravity and own up to your errs! The delightful imperfection of our existence - liberation from societal norms - the true black metal way. Spirituality? Mumbo-jumbo. Storytelling? Only of their own desecrations. Prepare to wallow in the filth and the grime of your own spiritual indigence, behold the broken path before you as it leads to ultimate damnation. On December 6, 2024, Svarttjern will unleash Draw Blood via Soulseller Records… 

Tales of self-mutilation, suicide, and lust set to black metal of a most sinful consortium and relayed through baleful album cuts: the titular track and 'Chop, Slit, Flay' that not only promote the destruction of self but also of your victim. Bleeding self-inflicted wounds and heaps of flesh soaked in gore to stimulate the reward center of your diseased mind - ecstatic dopamine hits - sweet serotonin flooding the cortex as the cuts deepen and the blood begins to flow. “Distance yourself from the life you once knew…” Turn your emotions off and embrace your inner killer! Wallow in the eternal lust of man, our sinful nature, and the stark truth that you are, deep down, a wretched creature. Live in lust & hate! Music for cocaine-induced mania and booze-drenched nights spent with fellow abominations. Primal mid-tempo savagery unleashed during 'Don’t Contain Your Lust'; the blade your only friend now. Like a ravenous pig feasting on troughs of fleshly desires, most foul have you become and there’s no turning back. 

Musically, expect Gorgoroth and Tsjuder-level brutality, but with even more of a thrashy touch. Relentless chugs and jackhammering rhythms… Fucking ear candy the whole way through. Expert time-changes yet fluid as blood flow. The heartbeat of true Norwegian black metal pulsating to every rhythmic passage. And is that a Rolling Stones cover I hear? A ghastly rendition of 'Under My Thumb'. Svarttjern getting their mischievous rocks off here; a punkish escapade into the realm of dirty riff-rock: rowdy, unpolished, and downright fun. HansFyrste’s brutal yet refined vocals are decipherable throughout the entire record; the mark of a master and of one who truly desires for the listener to be fully engaged in the experience. 

You’ll be wanting to party with these dudes! Imagining all the rambunctious possibilities and double-dares. The darkest side of the human condition illuminated before you to rifle through with gleeful enthusiasm. It’s a sick world! And we are the sickness. No need to put on a virtuous show for society. We all know what a joke it is and the person you are behind closed doors. You can’t hide from being human and to be human is to be a monster. With Draw Blood, Svarttjern deepen their grip into the flesh and into the minds of their followers with everything we’ve come to expect from these sons-of-bitches since day one. Reliable as always and just an unruly group of friends whose adventures have proven to be legendary! Providing more than a fleeting glimpse into their depraved minds and into the crimes of their youth. Svarttjern - quite possibly the most fucked up black metal band of all time. Shit, man, would you have them any other way? Didn’t think so… Take this album down like a double-shot of cheap liquor and feel the burn. It does not go down smoothly. Music is not for the faint of heart nor for the intestinally infirm. You’ll blow a load for this one. I guarantee it!

Rating: 9 out of 10