ARCKANUM – Den Förstfödde
- Posted on 16-07-2019
The swan-song release by the renowned and rather unique Arckanum came in for review lately, but given that it was originally released in late 2017, please consider this a short, retro-active review of a great album.
The entity’s inventive and inspired mixture of raw black metal, folk, dark ambient, and ritualistic music made sure that Arckanum stood out from all other (Swedish) black metal outfits, and this 8-track tribute to Jörmungandr (the firstborn son of Angrboða and Loki) is as intriguing and mysterious as it is strangely beautiful and heartfelt. The pace and rhythm of the affair is trance-inducing, the Burzum-esque melodies are hypnotic, the chants sound as if they originated somewhere in the netherworld, and the many layers and nuances present on "Den Förstfödde" reveal just how introspective and well-written it truly is.
"Den Förstfödde" moves and flows effortlessly between the massive-sounding and an almost unsettling sense of stillness, and it requires time and patience on the part of the listener. This is occult music at its finest and it is meant to be experienced via a set of top-notch headphones as opposed to being described with words.