Vanmakt
Vredskapta Mörkersagor
5.4
Synopsis:
I’ve been searching for good black metal recently - something new and creative, something dynamic, something unique...
Vanmakt (the Swedish word for powerlessness) is not that band.
Review:
With a cold, clinical production and tone, Vanmakt, despite their corpsepaint and Satanic themes are a few programmed beeps and whirs from being a cyber black metal band. The drums are incredibly processed, and the riffs, rather than portraying the cold, frosty vitriol of traditional back metal are mechanical and playing a semi melodic, commercially acceptable, yet blasting gait that hints of Naglfar, Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Immortal, Dark Funeral and countless other black metal bands.
The result is a competent but strictly by the numbers black metal album that fails to do anything remotely original within the confines of the genre. Literally, the album is a Frankenstein of all the better, bigger black metal bands around. From the spooky intro “The First Key” to the sudden blast of “Sanguine Craving” and “Förkastelse Av Jesu Tro,” occasional death metal lurch of “My Darkest Hate,” robotic spoken word of “Diaboli Lubeo,” to the melodic fade out of closer “New Satanic Era”- you’ve simply heard everything on the album before, and done better. That being said, the musicians are competent and appear to have the conviction required, especially drummer Gráal, who despite having his drums processed to almost sound programmed, has some serious speed and precision.
Granted, there are no synths or really forced moments of goth or eeeeeevil contrivance, just a whole album of average but incredibly forgetful black metal that screams mediocrity and a band we likely wont hear from again. If we do, it will more than likely be another third tier effort.
Related
VanmaktAd Luciferi Regnum
3/30/2009