Wolf Father is Nidingr's second full length (though I can't help feeling that at under twenty three minutes they are pushing the definition of full-length a little...). It is also their first in five years. I suspect the hiatus has a great deal to do with their 'other jobs' however for a moment let's pretend that we've never heard of any of the members of this band, shall we? Just for now.
'Fafnismol' Kicks things off in solid Black Metal fashion. The song launches itself from under a full pelt, intense riff that has that clinical, rather than wintery, semi industrial edge to it which is accentuated by the metronomic and slightly overbearing drum attack. Topped off by excellent vocals that sound like a nightclub bouncer in full 'roid rage bellowing at you inches from your face rather than the wolverine snarl I had expected, it is an aggressive introduction and one that promises a nice, vicious little album. Short and shorn of frills it charges through and is gone leaving hints of an unrelenting ride ahead.
Baldrs draumar, the next song (can you see where the lyrical theme is going?) is indeed more of the same: hard riffs beating down the walls with a powerful drum based engine but this time with a clean sung coda that is a fairly nice change stretching it over five minutes.
With some very nicely phrased lyrics taken from a translated-into-English work from the traditional Edda this is more accessible than might first appear just from song titles like 'Hymiskvitha' and 'Reginsmol' if you're monolingual like I am. Here they flow and there is a poetic, if brutal lilt to their adaptation by the band.
The problem I had is the lack of variation between the songs: Fast riff, slower section, speed back up, close. Repeat six times. That in itself can be made to work, but combined with a production that seems to have given a too uniform sound to the album l'm afraid it ground me down to an uncaring finish. By the time I reached the final track 'Lokasenna' although I didn't dislike it by any means, neither was I looking forward to a replay.
There is nothing at all wrong with Wolf Father; the vocals in particular from Cpt. Estrella Grasa of hardcore mob Kort Prosess are very authoritative and effective and with him backed by various members of 1349 (Telloch), Dodheimsgard (Blargh) and Mayhem (Hellhammer) you know that the musicianship is top drawer. Add in Garm and his Jester label and I guess I just had expected more in the music to hook me.
As it is you get a bunch of friends taking time out from their main bands to just enjoy playing together and to celebrate some Norse legends. No bad thing at all, just approach it with those expectations and you may well find something to get into.
http://www.myspace.com/nidingr
