Artist: Ulverheim
Title: När Dimman Lättar
Type: Album
Label: Soulseller Records

Ulverheim are two members of Swedish Black Metal band Thornium, who themselves have had a resurgence in the last couple of years after several years in the wilderness. The obvious comparison can be made, but if I were to try to define the difference, I’d say that Ulverheim’s sound is more deadened and more bass-driven. Nothing however could touch the utterly raw and crackling 1990s Thornium, but it has to be said there’s never any danger here of descending into jollity as the following selected track titles of “När Dimman Lättar”, translated from Swedish, will confirm: “Whispers from the Dead”, “Buried Alive”, “Firing Squad”, “Road of Death” and “Bombs Fall”.

“Allting är Dött”, which opens the album is typical. It’s not too fast, not too slow but is deathly and injected by hard drumming and bass. The vocalist drives through the thick obscurity and gloom. Fellow countrymen Arckanum and looking outside of Sweden Luna ad Noctum and Khold come to mind. There is a marching quality about it. The drumming continues to be imperious and for a moment there’s fire and increased intensity but by “Terror” the sound is militaristic and cold. The growls are superimposed on the grey backdrop. But there is colour in the guitar work which borders on the melodic. The title track enters industrial territory before launching into another relentless and driving Black Metal diatribe. The colourful guitar rhythm returns for “Levande Begravd”, for me the best track on the album. We hear more sounds from the depths of hell, eventually rising to a steady beat and the sinister mobility which characterises this work. The tone doesn’t change much but the next track “Arkebusering” passes for upbeat on this largely flat landscape. But then the driving and militaristic qualities we heard earlier return on “Dödens Vag” after symphonic beginnings. After a short bass interlude we head off again towards irretrievable darkness. “Bomberna Faller” has more of a flourish than most. Evil runs through the driving metal darkness. The guitar work is more flamboyant than anything we’ve heard previously. Finally we’re on the march again. “Pest” is more penetrating and varied than most in terms of raw violence and change of post. It finishes orchestrally but there’s nothing grandiose about it. At no stage did I sense any cultural heights or flowers growing over the course of this bleak work.

When the aim is something grey, it will inevitably finish up as something grey. The changes within “När Dimman Lättar” are subtle. If anything, I found this album to be understated and perhaps over produced and for those reasons I’d say it was competent rather than striking.

http://www.ulverheim.com

Andrew Doherty

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