Djevel - Tanker som rir natten (2021)

Unleashing a fierce and yet haunting offering of Norwegian Black Metal, today we have Djevel and their latest opus “Tanker som rir natten”. Slowly improving with each release, this outfit explores more atmospheric and eerie territories with the nearly 60 minutes of music unleashed in this album. Having the blistering BM core in the bag, this release showcases the band’s knack for enigmatic and creepy atmospheres surrounded by interesting vocal arrangements and slower and more melodic onslaughts.

Opening with the razor sharp distorted guitars of “Englene Som Falt Ned I Min Seng, Skal Jeg Sette Fri Med Brukne Vinger Og Torneglorier” alongside some epic drumming, the release sets a very moody and yet sinister vibe. Just before the blistering tremolo-picking onslaughts, we love the eerie clean vocal atmospherics. The band’s sound is as vicious as ever, but with more playful and melodic passages as “Maanen Skal Være Mine Øine, Den Skinnende Stierne Mine Ben, Og Her Skal Jeg Vandre Til Evig Tid” and “En Krone For Et Øie Som Ser Alt, Tusind Torner For En Sønn Som Var Alt” punish the listener with aggression and creepy vocals.

After the folky “Tanker Som Rir Natten”, evoking some older Ulver in their “Kveldssanger” days, “Naar Maanen Formørker Solen I En Dødelig Dans, Ber Jeg Moder Jord Opp Til En Siste Vals” features a more melodic and restrained build-up. It is quite interesting to hear how the last two songs have the same fury as before, but with a higher melodic content, making the tracks quite unique as they are punishing and yet well tempered.

After closing with the dreamy/nightmarish vocal arrangements of “Vinger Som Tok Oss Over En Brennende Himmel, Vinger Som Tok Oss Hjem”, we are left pondering if Djevel is planning a full-on Ulver-like evolution or if they are planning on just refining their current, and very imposing, style. We are huge fans of the band’s earlier and more brutal work, and we are completely mesmerized by this release and its different edge. If you want to hear some vicious and yet well crafted, atmospheric, and quite melodic Black Metal, it does not get better than this release.

Label: Aftermath Records

Release: May 14th, 2021

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Norway