Artist: Ragnarok
Title: Collectors Of The King
Type: Album
Label: Regain Records

It was as I was about half-way through my first listen of this album that I encountered something of a minor revelation - black metal is getting old, and in a very literal sense. As the drums thundered, the guitars chainsawed and vocal shrieks spewed bile, I realised that the classic 'Norsk' sound is close to twenty years old now. Has it reached the point of being 'classic' now, much in the same way that good old NWOBHM and hard rock was viewed in the late 90s? I ponder this as 'Collector of Kings' is the first new record to assail my ears in this decade and blow me down if it isn't an album who's blueprint could have been laid down in 1993. Save for the sterling modern day production work (which balances clarity and aggression wonderfully), Ragnarok's approach here strays not one iota from the familiar trappings of the Scandinavian 'blacker than black' soundscape. This is by no means a criticism - classic sounds are classic sounds for a reason and in the main, 'Collector of Kings' is a timely reminder of what made this genre so captivating in the first place. For all the familiarity bred by the ingredients, there's no denying the sheer power of this style of music when it is delivered with skill and flair. From the opening blast of 'Stabbed by the Horns' to the despondent finale of 'Wisdom of Perfection', this album does not let up. In many ways it is a masterclass of crafting something worthwhile from a tried-and-trusted palette - one cursory spin of 'Into Utter Madness' is enough to convince any listener of the experience and ability of this Nordic four-piece.

Still, is this enough in this day and age? Nagging doubts of referring to Ragnarok as 'merely competent' still remain. 'Collectors of the King' is good, certainly, but it isn't doing much more than simply reinforcing the value of a genre rather than Ragnarok's interpretation of it. It's a vicious, meaty blast of a traditional black metal album but beyond this, offer little else that remains in the mind once the disc has finished spinning. Classic, but not a classic.

http://www.ragnarokhorde.com
http://www.myspace.com/ragnarok

Frank Allain

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