Review Summary: A gem in the underground black metal scene with a deserving grip on album of the year.
There are very few bands in the modern metal scene that can claim they have innovated within a genre of music. Dødencvnt is one such band that has the right to one of these claims. The two piece experimental black metal outfit hailing from the icy world of northern Norway (the exact origination of the mysterious duo is unknown) first unleashed their unrelenting brand of music upon the world with their first album “fvllmøønofthemørbidcvnt.” This release, however, was not a black metal album, but rather a strong experimental post-Nordic Chant record with some sparing black metal influences. “Fvllmøønofthemørbidcvnt” shook the underground metal scene to it’s core with the implementation of rather odd time signatures, peculiar percussion instrumentation, and lyrical concepts covering everything from religion to politics to eternity. The cold, raw production is a fantastic attribute to this album and compliments Dødencvnt’s sound as a whole.
For their second release “DØDENFVKNGKNT - VØL. KVNT”- a mere month after the first monumentally impacting debut- Dødencvnt takes a few of the same concepts of their previous work, but drastically evolve their musical approach. Dødencvnt explores new sonic territory with the implementation of more traditional instruments such as guitar, bass, and drums, making the album more relatable to what the listener would generally expect of black metal. Not only is this instrumentation a fresh style change to the Dødencvnt sound, but these moments of traditional black metal are segments of sheer unrelenting might; these passages of sound are as chillingly cold as those found on
Darkthrone’s esteemed Transilvanian Hunger.
Not only does Dødencvnt make excellent use of classic black metal elements, but there are a few instances of influence from both drone and harsh noise, both of which are prevalent in Dødencvnt’s previous work but used sparingly on “VØL. KVNT.” The droning moments of ambience are a well-done additive showing that Dødencvnt is not only capable of fusing multiple genres together, but is also capable of building upon their previously explored soundscapes rather than abandoning their initial starting points. A perfect example of such implementation would be roughly the 8 minute mark of the third track “Sødøm & Gømmørah.” There is a distinct moment where the instrumentation seemingly stops and begins to drone onwards to oblivion, when suddenly the tortured shrieks of frontman The Nekrophilik Wizvrd cry out “Sodom! Gomorrah! Destroyed at the hands of God!” This captivating instance is one of the many standout timeframes on “VØL. KVNT” that showcases the utter brilliance of this underground black metal duo.
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