DODSKOLD is a new black metal band from Sweden, whose first album, “Ödesriket,” was released on May 28th, 2021, through Pesttanz Klangschmiede on vinyl and through War Records on cassette. Even though the band members have a fairly solid status in the Swedish extreme metal scene, DODSKOLD is an entity with its own personality and purpose. Rawness, grimness, and a not-so-hidden nostalgia of primeval black metal atmospheres are the main ingredients of the seven tracks on the debut album; an overall good production does not undermine the straightforwardness of the general sound, giving an intense listening experience as a result.
The first track, entitled “Sista Ridten,” immediately drags the listener in a cold and desolate landscape, where obsessive drumming and a colorful use of the vocals (reminiscent of a few Swedish acts, such as MARDUK and SHINING) work as a proper opening. The riffing is deeply rooted in the classic black metal tradition of the ’90s. Following that, “Döderskan,” is relatively slow and articulate. The use of drums and the non-predictable pace add some sort of a sacred vibe that makes the whole tune quite solemn and intense, in a very peculiar way.
“Misärens Triumf” starts with a deep sense of grief, due to a guitar intro that really shows a feeling of coldness and isolation. The influences of the depressive black metal Swedish scene are massive, but DODSKOLD manages as a band to blend them into an uncompromising raw attitude that mostly reminds me of the Norwegian scene of the early ’90s, so the result ends up with being, overall, quite original. The desperate chant and chorus add a lot of pathos to the track, making it, in my opinion, one of the highlights on the album.
The fourth song is called “Ty Döden är Lifvets Lön” and shows a folkish vibe that reminded me of BATHORY, due to the acoustic intro and harmonized vocals in the first part. The guitar solo adds a further level of pathos, where a feeling of solitude and oppression takes over. “Jotunhedarna” then has a more traditional structure: a massive influence of Norwegian black metal can be detected, especially early BURZUM and DARKTHRONE. Tremolo-picking riffs, obsessive drumming, and intense screaming vocals do really pay a tribute to the masters of the genre.
The penultimate track is “Myrkskogh,” whose melodic features make the whole thing more on the depressive side. The central part has, unexpectedly, some sort of a black ‘n’ roll vibe, but the general atmosphere is bleak and melancholic. The metrics are quite colorful and the vocals are excellent. The last song on “Ödesriket” is “Ödeskväde Till Riddersmark” and, right after the ambient-like intro, shows a reprise of the main theme on “Misärens Triumf.” The tune has a strong ritualistic vibe, especially in the chant and in the repetition of the main riff. The acoustic closure adds some extra flavor to an already powerful song.
DODSKOLD, all-in-all, managed to paint a majestic soundscape – strongly influenced by the typical and well-known Nordic culture’s main characteristics – by using many different shades of coldness, where the classic features of old school black metal meet a more melancholic attitude. The result is a very good album, which I would strongly suggest to anyone into the genre.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Tracklist
- Sista Ridten
- Döderskan
- Misärens Triumf
- Ty Döden är Lifvets Lön
- Jotunhedarna
- Myrkskogh
- Ödeskväde Till Riddersmark
Lineup
T. – vocals
M. – vocals (clean), bass, guitars, keyboards
L. – guitars
Label
Pesttanz Klangschmiede / War Records
