Not much is known about the Danish progressive quintet (0). The band has taken an anonymous position to draw more attention to the music experience. As a result, they are ready to present their debut album “SkamHan” through Napalm Records on 24 April 2020.
While I’m usually not the first person to review a black metal release, it’s the mystery surrounding the band’s name and the intriguing cover art who drew me into this release and I was able to explore a fundamentally experimental record with the capability of enabling me to immerse myself into the music.
“Tyndere end Hud” (Danish for “Thinner Than Skin“) immediately shows off the raw side of the band, with blackened riffs and harsh vocals. Although I wouldn’t call this post-metal, there are plenty of references to the genre, but down to its core “SkamHan” is progressive in nature, which is especially apparent in tracks like “Sjælstjæler.” Single “Skarntyder” is the most accessible song of the album and has some groovy melodies alongside typical black metal structures, showing a more relentless side of the band.
What all the tracks have in common is that you can’t possibly place them within the frameworks of a particular genre. The band is experimenting a lot with different combinations that you might not expect to work together: progressive metal, doom metal, post-metal, and black metal are all stirred together in an experimental and atmospheric pot. As a result, “SkamHan” is an incredibly diverse album.
The production is raw, which is something that suits the album very well. Although if there is one thing that is lacking a little bit in the mix, is that the guitars are a big high on the foreground, where the vocals disappear to the background and that perhaps might be the only improvement “SkamHan” could have benefited from.
Altogether “SkamHan” is an outstanding album that allows the listener to completely immerse into complex and atmospheric soundscapes created by (0).
Tracklist
- Tyndere end Hud
- Sjælstjæler
- Skarntyder
- Rød Glorie
- Sortfugl
- SkamHan
- Alle Renses
Lineup
(FJ) – Vocals
(JU) – Guitars
(MA) – Guitars
(JK) – Drums
(MC) – Bass
Label
Napalm Records
