(written by Islander)
“Hailing from Jølster, Norway, Nifrost return with a masterful display of melodic and epic black metal. Following the well-received Blykrone and Orkja, it is now time for Briseld. Once again, the legacy of Windir and the seeds planted by Enslaved and Borknagar have borne fruit in a new collection of songs.”
And that is how the Dusktone label begins to introduce Briseld, which is now set for release on March 20th. As a truly soul-stirring example of what the album brings listeners, today we premiere its second single, “Livskraft”.
“Livskraft” is a pulse-pumping, heart-bursting, head-spinning spectacle of savagery, sorcery, and epic grandeur. It races from the first moment, with drums furiously blasting and harmonized riffing that vibrantly whirs but rolls like tidal waves, pierced by momentous slashed chords and sparkling leads. The vocals are a match for the music’s fiery intensity, crying out in cutting and scorching tones.
The sorcery becomes manifest through a guitar solo that sinuously and seductively swirls through the towering musical expanse, eventually joined by feverishly pulsating fretwork and heroic singing voices that send the song to an even higher zenith of glory. A second guitar solo, still magical, also soars as it wails.
At times the melody sounds wistful or melancholy, but as mentioned, it’s a savage song too. Those throbbing rhythms, bursts of swarming fretwork, rumbling double-bass kicks, and momentous percussive booms channel that kind of spirited intensity. And once more, as the end approaches, voices rise, the music flies high and far, and that sorcerous lead guitar rears its head again. It all makes for an exhilarating finale to a thoroughly electrifying song.
Dusktone will release Briseld on vinyl LP, digipack CD, and digital formats, and (as mentioned above) they recommend it for fans of Windir, Borknagar, and Enslaved. Find more info and pre-order opportunities via the links below, and then also give a listen to the album’s first advance track, a stunner called “I Stormens Auge“.
PRE-ORDER:
https://dusktone.bandcamp.com/album/briseld
https://www.dusktone.org/?s=nifrost&id=113425
NIFROST:
https://www.facebook.com/nifrost
https://www.instagram.com/nifrost.official/
https://nifrost.bandcamp.com/