Arckanum - Sviga Lae

December 8, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Arckanum once more provides the black metal masses with an album worthy of its legendary name in Sviga Lae, an homage to Surtr, Loki and Múspellzheimr, all enemies of the worlds. Within Shamaatae’s visions, we are ever pulled into his darkened recesses, enjoying and savoring every step and crevice in the way.

What might well be a conceptual black metal album certainly doesn’t fall apart like you would imagine it might. Sviga Lae pounds into your head and leaves tornado-like destruction without benefit of speed for speed’s sake or recycled riffs and vocal melodies. Coming off the equally impressive ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ from last year, Shamaatae proves he has yet to slow down or run out of concise ideas with Arckanum. With some dismal, brooding passages and compositions, this album produces some sincere black art for sincere blackened people. Largely more polished than Fran Marder’s heyday, Arckanum refuses to give in to accepted convention, yet manages to upgrade its production nicely.

“Goðin Eru Blekkt” absolutely slays the notion that repetition and formula are always negatives in black metal. What sets Arckanum apart from pretty much every other band out there is the lack of pretense within the music. Shamaatae truly embodies the true black metal spirit in his writing and performing; he is the rare musician that cares about his output from all aspects. This is what makes his music continually cognizant and viable some 18-years after forming Arckanum.

To say you could get lost in tracks like “Andskoti Ferr Austan” leaves me to struggle for less clichéd terms, but the truth is you could really find yourself losing time in these songs, then wishing like hell it wasn’t over so fast. I can’t say the last time I’ve had this happen to me, but it’s a sure bet that this album will be getting many repeated plays in my system over the coming months. What I like about not only Sviga Lae, but Arckanum as a whole is the clear majesty, unforced and unblemished, that fills the entire room when this music is on. The lush, vibrant quality of such amazingly ‘Swedish’ black metal music truly embodies the spirit with which it was originally intended so many years ago. 

As I’m writing, listening for the second time to this gem, I’m really immersed in this album. Further, while I am once more treated to “Røk”, the fairly unobvious and beautiful conclusion to such a great record I think of the serenity captured here and realize that for such well-constructed disorder that is this black metal collective this is the only logical ending. Once again Arckanum fails to disappoint.             

Release Date: October 18, 2010
Record Label: Regain Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Lae Elr
2.  Gyloir Algorir
3.  In Folva Felr
4.  Gooin Eru Blekkt
5.  Gramr Girnisk
6.  Andskoti Ferr Austan
7.  Muspellzheimr Kemr
8.  Rok

Total playing time:  38:30

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