NATURBÅL

20 years ago, Black Metal was still confined to its established codes and any attempt to merge it with other musical styles was rare because often not well perceived by its afficionados. Time passing, it was noticed that this extreme form of music, by breaking its chains, was able to give birth to many interesting things, and Vintersorg, with his last album entitled 'Naturbål', is a good example of this opening to other musical genres. We are indeed invited to dive in an unexpected blend of pop in the vein of Ultra Bra (Finnish band who used to craft catchy music with many prominent choruses), the most extreme Black Metal (martial-like as the band Axis of Advance), and elements of folk (the lyrics in swedish and instruments of traditional folk), Renaissance music and dynamics borrowed to progressive rock. Magical orchestrations, very creative and ubiquitous drums, upbeat choruses, male and female voices, blast beats with tortured "black"-oriented or more bestial "death"-oriented chant, harpsichord and instruments of a bygone age, we attend a festival of cathartic sounds within a music full of enthusiasm. The transition between upbeat and gloomy sections, or even their amalgamation, is astonishingly mastered, both worlds overlapping perfectly in a bazaar of ideas in all kinds. This was made possible not only thanks to a strong knowledge of the ranges, with vocals as convincing when they are "bestial" as when they are clean, but also thanks to unparalleled sense of tempo and musicality. One can only greet with respect so many passion spread all along the album by the artist (Vintersorg is driving almost alone his whirling merry-go-round) to share his love of musical universes that may seem unrelated to one another at first sight. The music, both dynamic and full of contrasts, could be compared to a journey full of hazards, like Orpheus in greek mythology facing sirens' chant with his enchanting voice and his lyre or leaving the world of the living to brave Hades and bring back Eurydice to his world. Fantastic landscapes alternate indeed with Hades fires in our mind. In a nutshell, a wonderful work by an artist who never ceases to delight our ears.