Review by Felix on December 9, 2021.

Arckanum albums are always challenging aÞ nd naturally this statement includes the work with the eleven “Þ“ from 2009. Mostly it’s a tough job to decode them due to the incomprehensible language and the dense listening experience. But there is another reason why “Þ“ (I hope you forgive me this abbrevation) makes it hard to get into it. Yes, it houses some great tracks that deliver the typical Arckanum stuff. Opaque, somehow spiritual black metal that does not lack energy and substance. Nevertheless, there are moments where the songs derail and where the intensity of the material totally implodes in a matter of seconds.

For the first time this happens in the third piece. A completely inadequate break with a melancholic guitar and some howling wolves in the background intends to create atmosphere, but unfortunately this intermezzo kills the force of the track. Not to mention the following mild and overlong guitar lines. 'Þyrstr' is another interlude that does not make much sense – a man plays some notes on his electric guitar. The result is a mediocre melody fragment without depth and value. But the biggest trash is yet to come, piece number seven delivers five minutes without music. Someone is standing in a wind channel and tells an excessive story. Listening to this anti-song is nothing but a waste of time and the dark first guitar notes of the next track are almost a saviour. Anyway, they come to late for the flow of the full-length which cannot be reanimated.

If we try to forget these shortcomings and focus on the remaining eight tracks, there can be no doubt that Shamaatae is still able to compose good or even excellent songs. The opener welcomes the listener with fiery up-tempo rhythms, the guitars in 'Þá Kómu Niflstormum' are pretty successful in creating a mesmerizing mood and the lively 'Þjóbaugvittr' loses no time to draw the listener into its quite melodic riffing and the double bass driven drums. These are songs that reflect the spirit of the early works and the inner core of Arckanum. The solid yet slightly polished production gives these songs an adequate frame. However, at the end of the day I cannot say that the eleven “Þ“ catapult me even close to enthusiasm. Quite the opposite, I identify the unbroken talent of the artist, but I am listening to a result that does not reflect his full talent. Given this situation, this output leaves a pretty ambivalent impression. Check it out, but don’t expect heroic deeds.

Rating: 6.8 out of 10