Svartsot – Maledictus Eris (2011)

As a clear example of finding a formula that works and sticking with it until you bore people to death, today we have Svartsot’s latest release “Maledictus Eris”. In this album the band takes a step backward from a promising career to a limbo-like place where they play the same song over and over for a whole album.

In a completely different way than on their previous release “Mulmets Viser”, Svartsot lacks imagination and direction in “Maledictus Eris”. We might venture to say that is the relatively short time between albums (one year give or take), but the band makes a very poor effort in changing things up and creating something worth purchasing, especially with the overcrowded Folk/Viking/Pagan Metal scene these days.

As the songs go by, it is very easy to identify the same structure in almost every song. The riffing is very repetitive and almost predictable through the release. The usage of Folk elements is still present, but somewhat drowned in the mixing of the album. The first song that might stick in you head is “Farsoten Kom”, a very typical track with the traditional catchy chorus section.

Hearing one good song until the sixth track is an excruciating ordeal, but with “Den forgængelige Tro” things start to look up a bit, exactly for one song. In this track, the band does show some of the potential of their previous album, but only makes up for just another good song. Moving along the album, the last song to make an impact is the acoustic “Spigrene”, a track that changes the pace of the album very dramatically, but makes up for a nice Folk piece in a sea of insipid songs.

If you are looking for something more dynamic and entertaining, go and buy another album since you won’t find it here. Dull guitars, dull vocals and some catchy chorus and Folk instruments are all the things that you will find in Svartsot’s latest offering. Hopefully the band gets back on the good path and starts writing engaging music in the future.

Release: July 29th, 2011

Country: Denmark