The artwork was originally created in the 19th century by French artist, painter, printmaker, illustrator, comics artist, caricaturist and sculptor Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
Odal, one of those truly classy black metal acts of the German underground, returns with force and fire to deliver their 4th album in the course of autumn 2016.
Originally founded as a side project in 1999 by main man Taaken, over the course of 17 years, 4 full lenghts, splits, EPs and numerous line up changes, Odal managed to defy trends and build their own status as an unrelenting and uncompromising force in underground music.
With a long 8 year wait after their last and esteemed full length, and in the wake of their recent EP "Der Dunkelheit Reiter", this Thuringian trio made sure to feature tracks of epic proportions that will fit with their impressive back catalogue they highlighted with "Wilde Kraft" (2005) and "Zornes Heimat" (2008).
Picking up where they left off, Odal offers a dense six-track ride into grim, emotive black majesty, bound and influenced by raw northern blooded black metal and pagan roots. Refined, yet pure to their core, it comprises some of the most mature material written in the bands existence. Yet again, every step of the way, they musically hover in the same direction as the previous albums. "Geistes Unruh" (spirit's unrest) remains more clear & focused, provided with strong melodies, striking drumming, and an unfaltering voice.
I have ignored the more extreme sub-genres of metal for nearly two decades, so when my interest has been reignited again a few years ago I had a lot of stuff to discover. One my most recent finds has been Wolfsschrei, a German black metal war machine, led by a lad calling himself Taaken. Having been blown away by their latest output “Rise Dead Ember” I had to check out what seems to be his even more prolific project Odal. Having been formed way back in 1999, this band can look back at a pretty impressive list of albums, EPs, splits and compilations. Their latest full length has been titled “Geistes Unruh” and is another proof for the songwriting talent of Taaken.
What both bands have in common are the captivating and memorable guitar harmonies The fiery tremolo attacks are hitting with full force, but it becomes immediately evident that melody plays a similarly important role. The main ingredients are sinister black metal chords, accompanied by the typical relentless drum patterns. Both outfits show a great feeling of weaving some intricate harmonies into the overall soundscape, giving the songs an atmospheric feeling.
The harmonies use to give the tracks their own identification code and are absolutely stunning, making each song sound huge and epic. The riff attacks burn and swirl with evil intent, and become sinister and savagely delirious, both ominous and dismal, but also offering breathtaking and emotional moments. Check out for example the ending of “Erblicke das Chaos”, which made my heart sing, despite the overall cruelty of the music. The vocals also manifest these feelings, with the powerful delivery ramping the intensity even up a notch. Overall this album is mainly about staying true to the original formula that had been defined by the Scandinavian heroes back in the last century, without forgetting to add own ideas and enough freshness to the formula of the ancients. There are also some more technical parts, a bit soloing and some blast-sections, but overall the main focus is on delivering a nicely flowing experience for the listeners at home.
The drumming is tight and precise, without being pushed too much into the foreground. The instrumentation is flawless, without the musicians ever losing themselves in redundant wankery. The songs are written in a very stringent and (for that kind of music) accessible way, making them immediately enjoyable for the consumer despite their sheer brutality and grimness. The single parts of the songs are woven together in a way to make each song stand on its own feet, and the technical complexity is used as additional tool to underline certain sections.
The production is pretty much flawless, crisp and punchy, but also transparent and organic. The stunning harmonies might be the main star of the show, but the other instruments are also clearly audible. I also love the cover of "Geistes Unruh", with the brown and golden tones of the mystic picture rounding off a noble package.
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