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Ofermod: Thaumiel
18/01/13 || BamaHammer
Drink of my semen.
There is no better line to use when introducing oneself to a female to ensure that the two of you engage yourself in tr00 grvm winterbuttsex on the altar of sin. Ofermod, who is quickly becoming one of my absolute favorite black metal bands of the modern age, know this, so they made sure that they made this a very integral part of the chorus of this album’s opener,“Sisters of Rapture and Pestilence”, an obviously groovy and emotive love song.
But seriously, Sweden’s Ofermod is merely two albums into their soon-to-be-illustrious career, and they already sound like one of the all-time great groovy mid-paced black metal bands. I’ve expressed my affection for this band before with their debut, the killer “Tiamtü”, and this follow-up, “Thaumiel”, takes all the qualities I loved about the debut and does it all even better.
Ofermod are not your typical Swedish black metal misfits. When I think about Swedish black metal, my mind invariably goes to Marduk or Dark Funeral with their blazing speed and brain-rattling insanity. However, Ofermod manages to maintain all that intensity while retaining an element of groove that is really unmatched by any other black metal bands hitting the scene today.
From the first moment you hear “Thaumiel” and the aforementioned opener, you’re submersed in an almost painfully slow, plodding, pounding rhythm that creates a brutally evil atmosphere and undeniable groove that all but forces you to nod your head at the very least. Even in the choruses and bridges of the track that feeling never really lets up. It’s so slow and groovy that you’re even treated to a tribal tom-tom piece on a few instances that is utterly fantastic, though I have no real idea why. It’s just great.
While the speeds do pick up occasionally (and even stay there for a couple of entire tracks), there is nothing that ever remotely resembles something you’d hear from Marduk or Dark Funeral. It just wouldn’t fit this band. They understand their strengths as musicians and lead with them. The members clearly have a knack for taking things slow to mid-paced, and that’s what you get here.
This is one of the best albums of 2012 for sure, but it’s just a shame I only recently heard it. It’s solid from start to finish. The only track I can’t really get into is “Undead Moon”, which sounds as if it was recorded at a different time in a different place by a different band (and probably not coincidentally, it’s the only track not to feature bassist Christian Larsson, who’s becoming one of my personal favorite black modern metal musicians) with its clean vocals and almost overly melodic passages. If you’re looking for the next big thing in Swedish black metal, understand that these guys are probably it. Get it.
- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Spinefarm
- Website: Ofermod MySpace
- Band
- Michayah Belfagor: all instruments
- JK: vocals
- Christian Larsson: bass
- Tracklist
- 01. Sisters of Rapture and Pestilence
- 02. Black Gate
- 03. Calling of Setnacht: Twofold Triunity
- 04. Undead Moon
- 05. Prayers Unto Warped Eternities
- 06. Chôshekh Ên Sôf
- 07. Chained to Redemption
- 08. Via Noctis: Veil of Gargophias
