KAEVUM – ULTRA (Darker than Black Records)

Propagating prime Norwegian Black Metal of the truest essence, much to the chagrin of many, Kaevum passionately, poignantly, unapologetically take us back to another time and place when and where Black Metal actually meant something. Remember when it was an adversarial art form that set the underground aflame, igniting an antagonistic spirit that heralded a culture shock and razed Abraham’s abominable edifices to the ground? The pride, the uprising, the intolerance, the resistance … all are present and correct here on scorching, rousing, chest-swelling third full-length ‘Ultra’.

The majestic, mercurial, spirit-nourishing ‘Mørketidens Kappe’ immediately wraps us in a cloak of darkness, replete with power and panache but also forlorn and sombre, as indeed is the second denunciation ‘Rottefangeren’ (‘The Pied Piper’), always a sense of pathos doing battle with might and honour. Propelled by anguish and rage, the fierce, emotive throat strangulations are truly something else, the versatility also mightily impressive.

In an inanimate era of inertia, where most music – even that which is purportedly extreme – fails miserably to extract or provoke even an inkling of emotion from the listener, in evoking times of yore ‘Ultra’ transcends with a masterclass of soaring, triumphant, sentimental Black Metal, haunting, nostalgic and always high on quality. While the aforementioned at-times-otherworldly vocal performance(s?) elevates proceedings to another level, the musicianship is equally adept, both compositionally and through skilled, intuitive execution. One can feel the pain being transmitted, taste the hysteria.

This is traditional Black Metal supremacy that instils a longing for better days, better places, better ways and better races, i.e. a glorious past that is gone and will never return, the chilling final warning of Orwell at the end of ‘Ideologisk Ammunisjon’ a timely reminder of the dystopian wasteland that replaced what was stolen from us as the sheep rolled over submissively or buried their heads in the puppetmasters’ sand.

Evilometer: 666/666