NAGLFAR: "Pariah"         naglfar                                  

release date 20th.06.2005          

preview - review by Artur Felicijan____   

    Black Metal. After a truly long time, my ears have been delighted to receive a musical doze that doesn't seem to have it's place of honor today. Black metal as it was in the mid-nineties vanished with it's time. It was later reincarnated and deformed into new types of black(?) metal, built without it's primal ingredient, and over-influenced by trend and fashion. The rules of finance raped it's image, and the bands that began flooding the scene are lingering in the comfort of mediocrity and in proving themselves insignificant to the record labels and the fans. And the worst and most shameful fact - it became insignificant to the music in general and to most of the community, to which black metal artists are considered ridiculous and unoriginal "musicians" with lack of talent, trapped in adolescence.  

Whatever. That's not the case with Naglfar. This fine Swedish quintet caught my attention with their 1995 release "Vittra", which was and still is considered as one of the finest outputs in the genre. 10 years after their debut, Naglfar did not abandon their path of blasphemy. Turned against the light they went further onward, following their shadows in quest for the dark musical perfection. They've found it and called it "Pariah", your guide of on the way, where no light is needed.

Indeed, "Pariah" is furious, aggressive and vicious in every way, giving the profound musical experience in absorbing the malevolence and rage Naglfar unleash upon the listener. From the very beginning to the end, the album is entwined into a shadow, a somber mixture of hatred and apocalyptic atmosphere rare can master so purely. The songs are extremely fast and ripping, yet full of great melody and hellish vocal performance. 

What stands out on this record is production, which is very sharp and clear, with great sounding drums and hard hitting vocals. But in the meantime, Naglfar managed to maintain the black metal harshness with natural and good sounding guitars and snare. 

The whole album is obviously very Swedish-sounding, besides the songs that showcase that with the melodies. As for the lyrics, Naglfar stood true to themselves on "Pariah", with titles such as "A Swarm of Plagues", "The Murder Manifesto", "Revelations carved in Flesh" and "None shall be spared". A dark poetic interpretation of hatred and apocalypse.

It's almost like going back to the years when black metal albums sounded the way they should. By that I don't only mean intense, evil and true, but ORIGINAL! Original as "Pariah" is. Being original is not equal to abandon the black metal genre, but it is by exploring it in it's darkest corners. Black metal IS the music of darkness, and some people can't handle darkness. You think you can handle it? Try "Pariah".

rating: 9.5/10

Artur Felicijan

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