Dissection
Storm of the Light's Bane


5.0
classic

Review

by ExplosiveOranges USER (72 Reviews)
August 29th, 2015 | 1346 replies


Release Date: 1995 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Ours is the fury.

1995 was one hell of a year for the Swedish metal scene. You had both Dark Tranquillity’s The Gallery and At The Gates’ Slaughter of the Soul in quick succession of one another, along with In Flames’ The Jester Race being released early on in the following year. While the predominant trend amongst the Swedes was melodic death metal, there was also a minority of bands that dabbled in the black metal stylings of their Norwegian rivals. They weren’t just a bunch of Darkthrone or Emperor knockoffs, though. These bands were able to infuse the melodic elements of their peers with the dissonant, eerie sounds of Norwegian black metal bands. Ultimately, no one was able to pull this off better than Dissection on their sophomore album, Storm of the Light’s Bane.

Clocking in at just over an hour in length, Storm of the Light’s Bane kicks off with “At The Fathomless Depths”. The eerie, forlorn dual guitars and ominous thundering in the background do a fantastic job of setting the tone for the album, and the seamless transition into “Night’s Blood” is certainly a plus. The production has a hazy, distant feel to it, which blends in perfectly alongside the tenebrous tone of tracks such as “Unhallowed”. Jon Nodveidt’s guitarwork stands out above all else, combining the chaos and discordant time signatures of traditional black metal alongside more cohesive, streamlined riffs reflecting the more melodic influences of the band. Ole Ohman’s drumming also fits in well, with rapid-fire blast beats creating a solid contrast to the more reserved drum patterns in songs such as “Thorns of Crimson Death”. Speaking of which, the bleak acoustic intros on the aforementioned track and “Where Dead Angels Lie” add in a bit of a dissonant serenity to the music, which is vital in an album that focuses so much on atmospheric elements.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of Storm of the Light’s Bane is just how malevolent and downright evil the entire experience really is. Not in a wild, feral sort of way, but not in a necessarily brooding, subdued manner either. Nodveidt’s vocals are a fantastic example of such. His constant, sorrowful rasp is chilling to the core, both subtly and with a touch of mayhem.

Storm of the Light’s Bane strives mainly for balance, and manages to easily succeed in this goal due to the sheer amount of attention to detail. The meticulous structure of each song gives the album a refined and almost polished feel, even with the fuzzy production values. While it’s a damn shame that Dissection weren’t able to create more material in their time together, Storm of the Light’s Bane will forever be the legacy that Nodveidt and company leave behind.



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user ratings (1783)
4.4
superb
other reviews of this album
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Comments:Add a Comment 
ExplosiveOranges
August 29th 2015


4408 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

anybody miss me?







didn't think so. thanks to arcade for paddling me for my improper use of conjunctions. as always, criticism welcome.

zaruyache
August 29th 2015


27827 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

o hai orngs

ExplosiveOranges
August 29th 2015


4408 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

hello, old friend.

deathschool
August 29th 2015


28991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I thought I heard explosions.

Crysis
Emeritus
August 29th 2015


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

one of the best swedish records ever dat album art

Gameofmetal
Emeritus
August 29th 2015


11761 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

are you gonna do all your reviews with game of thrones quotes now

Crysis
Emeritus
August 29th 2015


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

also ole ohman is a monster drummer

Jots
Emeritus
August 29th 2015


7584 Comments


will read in a jiffy

ExplosiveOranges
August 29th 2015


4408 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

next review summary:



"what the fuck's a lommy?"

SharkTooth
August 29th 2015


14937 Comments


"are you gonna do all your reviews with game of thrones quotes now"

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/images/members/1046991.jpg

zaruyache
August 29th 2015


27827 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

pos'd

Gameofmetal
Emeritus
August 29th 2015


11761 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

gud

Gyromania
August 29th 2015


37603 Comments


oh hey you're still alive

SharkTooth
August 29th 2015


14937 Comments


Yeah Judio was just about to write your eulogy

FearThyEvil
August 29th 2015


18849 Comments


Album art looks like it'd fit in with Witcher 3

Gyromania
August 29th 2015


37603 Comments


idk about him but i'm just now hearing this and it's pretty great so far (on track 3)

ComeToDaddy
August 29th 2015


1851 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Welcome back buddyyy, sweet album to return with.

Gyromania
August 29th 2015


37603 Comments


best avatar ^

Ocean of Noise
August 29th 2015


11026 Comments


While it’s a damn shame that Dissection weren’t able to create as much material in their time together


as much material as whom?

Gyromania
August 29th 2015


37603 Comments


yeah just get rid of 'as'



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