1349 - Demonoir

April 26, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Norway’s 1349, one of the few remaining black metal outfits from the country that is worth anything, reorganizes one year after its last release Revelation of the Black Flame, which came out to mixed reviews. Demonoir is the latest offering of black metal darkness.

Immediately Frost’s amazing drumming is the first thing of note, which is always a plus for me. After the last couple Satyricon albums where he’s been criminally subdued, it’s great to hear him letting loose again. So, what does the rest of the CD hold in terms of substance, you ask? Well, it’s chaotic, evil, raw-sounding black metal that sounds like the very black metal its country founded. That said, I’m afraid it falls a bit short for me in way of staying ability, which kills me to say as I love and hail Frost’s magnificent drumming style. However, if I were not honest with myself as well as you, what good am I to the music at hand?

The songs, while black to a perfect pitch, just don’t seem all that inspired or thought-inducing. Ravn’s vocals are fine, as is the musicianship overall, but while the music has moments of excellent ascension the unit as a whole falls a bit short in terms of resonance. For me, the most viable and interesting parts are Frost’s drums, which a complete work of art they do not make.

A track like “Pandemonium War Bells” is a stellar track that changes up nicely and features a very looming atmosphere of solemnity, but the “Tunnel of Set” parts seem to be nothing short of filler space between tracks, and it’s unnecessary for even one wasted-interim part, say nothing for seven of them. To me, it’s just something that breaks the flow of the album, which is never good when you’re attempting to keep one’s attention focused on your music.

Aside from the momentum-breaking “Temple” parts the songs are okay, but nothing grandiose or spectacular that might make the top few black releases this year. I had higher hopes for this record when I heard it was coming, but aside from Frost and a few moments of clarity Demonoir is best left to background music for the casual black metal fan that absolutely has to hear everything. What might otherwise have been a good release suffers from periods of tiredness and uninspired tracks. 

Release Date: April 26th, 2010
Label: Indie Recordings /
Prosthetic Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Tunnel Of Set XI
2.  Atomic Chapel
3.  Tunnel Of Set XII
4.  When I Was Flesh
5.  Tunnel Of Set XIII
6.  Psalm 7:77
7.  Tunnel Of Set XIV
8.  Pandemonium War Bells
9.  Tunnel Of Set XV
10.  The Devil Of The Desert
11.  Tunnel Of Set XVI
12.  Demonoir
13.  Tunnel Of Set XVII

Total playing time:  49:00

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