Review Summary: We gather here today in worship of filth
Svartkonst is the blackened death metal one-piece of mastermind Rickard Törnqvist, hailing from the great metallic coastline of Sweden. While the scene and sound of their contemporaries has been long-solidified, some may say superfluously, this project reminds us the tried-and-true Scandinavian formula still has plenty of juice to the squeeze. Ripping and roaring through the soundwaves like a great contorting beast, "May the Night Fall" is a triumphant offering of pummeling riffage and delightful discord.
First and foremost: the tenacity and confidence with which these tracks are performed can't be understated. Although this record is clearly blackened death metal, there's a palpable undercurrent of nasty crust and punk that gallops and reels and fills the void with infectious vigor. This is the type of record that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go, yet you can't help but adore every second of it. You could build a blasphemous cathedral with all the grooves here and still have plenty left over. If the hook of "Straight to the Grave" or the outro of "Filth Worship" don't make you want to tear your shirt off and pulverize everything in sight, check your pulse because you might be dead! This is only elevated by the guitar tone, which is that classic grinding chainsaw sound we've grown to love over so many years.
Though this record doesn't exactly push the envelope much in terms of innovation, there remains plenty of dynamics in songwriting. In a welcome reprieve to the pummeling intensity, "May the Night Fall" boasts not just one, but TWO instrumental tracks that do wonders for pacing and atmosphere. Tracks such as "Endless Dark" and "Concrete and Steel" also lean heavier into the blackened sound than average, which injects some off-kilter contrasting terror. The tremolos and blast-beats give us an unnerving feeling, yet the compositions never stray too far as to derail the vision.
Through ebbs and flows of intensity and grace, the record undoubtedly comes to a head with the self-titled penultimate piece, "May the Night Fall". Opening with a simple, yet menacing arpeggiating riff, the track soon wells up into a great wall of hypnotic sound. It conjures feelings of weightlessness, as if you've been set adrift on an everflowing stream of abyssal murk as you stare upward at the crumbling sky. The steady drums and bass set the tempo of an apocalyptic current as you're whisked you away into oblivion. But oddly enough, tragic and terrifying as it may seem, this piece is oddly comforting, dare I say beautiful - the type of work which must be heard to fully comprehend. In the context of the record as a whole, this unprecedented abatement in ferocity does wonders to prove this project is far more than a formulaic one-trick-pony.
Svartkonst, when all is said and done, have so much to be proud of with this release. I would wholeheartedly recommend this record to black and death metal fans alike, and the punk vibes are also sure to capture the attention of plenty who aren't strictly embroiled in the metal scene. Enveloping you in a great shroud of impeccable songwriting and realized ideals, "May the Night Fall" is a testament to the philosophy of familiarity. In other words - "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Stay metal and jam this record ASAP one and all m/
