Thanks to Vindur from Mörkvind for guest vocals, lyrics on track 8!
CD Limited To 100 Copies!! Atmospheric/Depressive Black Metal From Sweden
The newest Tårfödd opus, which is called "Efterlämnade i sorg" (in English: "Left Behind in Grief"), is Simon Lindgren's fifth full-length studio album. From what I could gather from my amateur translations, it most likely deals with topics of loss, depression, mourning, and other negative emotions. After reviewing every available Tårfödd full-length album, the question is – is it the best one yet?
It comes as no surprise that the atmosphere can be described as depressive and mournful. However, this is not a straightforward DSBM album; it covers much more. For instance, there is some aggression in "Ett sista rop", where Vindur from Mörkvind is a guest vocalist. This was my first encounter with him, and I believe that he left a great impression on me with his harsh vocals. Moreover, the album has a fast pace, but there are numerous moments when it slows down. For example, the title track is slower than the rest of the album at times. It is not as dark, slow, and nihilistic as "Disciples of the Ghost", yet it covers many more different emotions. A track that is the saddest for me is "Stilla Ro Och Evig Sömn", especially the melodic interlude. It also had mesmerizing clean vocals, which contributed much to the atmosphere. Moreover, the two-part song called "Förlåt för allt" had a melody that was an earworm. It was mournful and saddening. The concept of a song consisting of two parts isn't anything special per se – I have seen it in Zmarłym's "Wielkie Zanikanie" – however, these two songs were connected wonderfully, with one motif present in both songs: that melody.
The thing I really liked about "Disciples of the Ghost" was the presence of heavier riffs and progressive elements. Fortunately, these also appeared here. "Nattsvart" can be described as the heaviest track in this more-than-an-hour-long album, with a much heavier riff standing out from the rest of the material. The same goes for clean vocals, which I have already mentioned. Another element that is unlikely for Tårfödd is how long the intro to "Ett sista rop" was – I believe it lasted about 2–3 minutes. Usually, these last about a minute (or seven, which is the case at the start of the previous album "Lidande"). Another thing that I encountered unexpectedly was pinch harmonics, which appeared in "Tomhet". As with "Disciples of the Ghost", this album has many surprises awaiting the listener.
Simon’s shrieks are typical for him and for the genre – these are classic black metal vocals. What caught my attention were the clean vocals, most likely performed with Johanna. As said before, my favorite moment with them was in "Stilla Ro Och Evig Sömn", when (I guess) both Simon and Johanna sang in a way similar to singing lullabies. However, I wish I had heard Johanna more on this album; her appearance is usually very valuable. Guitar riffs aren't very technical or sophisticated, yet they are very interesting and enjoyable to listen to. Every song is far different from the next, but each one is kept in a similar, unique Tårfödd style. This time, Simon avoided the problem that "Mörker" had. I prefer albums that last 50 minutes at most, but this one, lasting over 66 minutes, wasn't tedious at all due to the interesting instrumental work.
And lastly, the drumming. As far as I can hear, drums are programmed; however, the drumming work here is far more interesting than in "Mörker". Blast beats are present, but most of the time aren't overplayed. There are moments when they become too aggressive (some moments in "Hopp föds och släcks"), but for the most part, they are composed and weren't a problem during listening. Every other instrument was clearly heard. What’s more, the blast beats were more sophisticated. In songs such as "Nattsvart", "Förlåt för allt", and "Avslut", cymbals were present, which made the album even more gripping.
All in all, "Efterlämnade i sorg" seems to sum up all the good aspects that Tårfödd's music has – including aggressive, atmospheric, depressive, and progressive elements. Answering the question – yes, it is the best full-length for me. In this 66-minute-long album, every black metal fan should find something for themselves. It is not perfect yet, but if Simon keeps improving the music, we might hear a real masterpiece soon.
Sample: youtube.com/watch?v=5UWjGAg0QLM&t=1018s
