(written by Islander)
Beginning in 2007 the Crimea-based Ukrainian band Ildverden released four albums, the last of those in 2015. In the 10 years since then, of course, Ildverden‘s homeland has been wracked by increasingly awful upheavals, and yet the band’s sole participant Kvolkaldur has chosen to persist, much as his country has, and so next month will see the release of Ildverden‘s stunning fifth album, Thou Not Shalt.
It should not be surprising that after 10 years — and especially those last 10 years — both Ildverden‘s music and lyrical themes have changed. As summed up by the labels that will release the album, the lyrics “have somewhat moved away from the pagan theme towards nihilism, detachment from what is happening and what exists, reflections and regrets, with moods of existentialist philosophy,” plunging “into melancholic deep reflection on the meaning and meaninglessness of existence itself.”
As for the music, the songs are more compact and reflect the emergence of different stylistic amalgams, of which we provide a stirring example today through our premiere of the album track “Down To the Hole“.
The moods of the song are subject to different possible interpretations, but they strike this listener as manifestations of menacing and even oppressive peril, agonizing pain, hallucinatory eeriness, and dangerous anger.
The drums slug very damned hard, mostly measured in their cadences but accented with double-bass bursts; the gravel-toned bass feels heavier than granite; the vocals come forth in deep, cold, crackling, and frightening growls. But what really seizes attention from the first seconds and all the way through are the unusual guitar tones and what Ildverden does with them.
The opening riff both sizzles with distortion and rings like a twisted chime as it wretchedly moans and wails above those methodically slugging beats. As the drums pound out a rocking groove the riffing also slowly writhes and maliciously gouges, dismally pulsates and feverishly squirms, strangely pings and becomes a dark, sickening miasma.
It’s not ’til near the end that the drums start hammering and the pulse of the bass hits a fever pitch, and then the guitar seems to yowl like a stricken beast — followed by a return of that attention-grabbing opening riff and a bell-like finale (a plague bell).
This isn’t “easy listening” at all, yet it’s still mesmerizing, and home to many twisted and viscerally compelling hooks. See for yourselves:
It may be of interest to some listeners that (as we’re told) all guitar parts were recorded live through analog pedals and tube combo amplifiers (with signals picked up by microphones, and that the last track on the album — which follows the “Outro” of the main part — is a song called “Fucking Hell (Part II)”, which was recorded separately from the recording session of the rest of the compositions, “performed in the style of old school black/thrash metal/punk.”
Thou Not Shalt will be co-released on October 25th by Satanath Records, Wine And Fog Productions, and More Hate Productions. The album cover features the new logo of the project, made by Disfleshed, and artwork, both on the cover and in the CD edition’s accompanying 8-page booklet, made by Nether Temple. The labels recommended the record for fans of such bands as: SATYRICON, 1349, TAAKE, KAMPFAR, and ENSLAVED.
Find pre-order info via the links below, and you can then also listen to the album’s intensely frightening first single, “Scorching Wilderness“, which includes some vocal variations (including haunting ones) as well as more aggressive drum-and-bass tandems, a feeling of greater expansiveness, and moods that are even more dire (even apocalyptic) than in the song we’ve just premiered. The word “draconic” comes to mind. It will get its hooks in you too.
PRE-ORDER INFO:
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat408-ildverden-thou-not-shalt-2025
http://www.morehate.com/
https://www.instagram.com/wine.and.fog/