Vargsheim is a band from my area that is best known for being the live line-up of Imperium Dekadenz and active since 2004. Originally called Blutrunst, they changed that after their original drummer left in 2005 and sticked to the new name ever since. Since then they released 4 full-lengths, 2 splits and a demo while constantly improving and changing up their sound. Starting out as a quite straight black metal band with a rough production, they slowly evolved into the unique sound that was introduced on "Träume der Schlaflosen" and perfected on "Söhne der Sonne", combining 90s Scandinavian black metal with dusty 70s rock.
The album was once again recorded in the band's rehearsal room by Nikita Kamprad (Der Weg einer Freiheit) who also took care of the mixing and mastering this time. The production is going back to the band's roots, providing a rougher, more unpolished approach compared to "Träume der Schlaflosen" which is beneficial for both main aspects of their music by providing rawness to the black metal and a warm fuzzy feeling to the rock. The mix itself is pretty good, giving all instruments their personal space and even the fragile solos and melodies that happen pretty far in the back are fully enjoyable. The only real downside and the major advantage "Träume der Schlaflosen" had is the sound quality of the vocals. Due to the band using a far larger room to record the vocals in they got a little lost in the space and lack a fair bit of power. The slight bit of reverb they added isn't very helpful in that regard, making them sound as if they were recorded in a tunnel. Other than that, there's nothing to complain about, it is a very fitting and energetic production that suits the music almost perfectly.
The songwriting is partly influenced by their older sound but also improving what was started on the last album and is therefore mainly rooted in 90s black metal and very groovy, dusty black'n'roll, combining the two to a very unique and charming mixture. But it isn't the cold, harsh kind of black metal in the vein of Immortal nor the fast and brutal stuff of Marduk or even Archgoat, it sounds more like a more melodic version of Darkthrone or Satyricon with hints of Dissection and Enslaved minus the viking aspects. Those melodic riffs get supported by the bass, adding loads of volume to them and combined with the rougher production makes for a warmer yet still intense atmosphere that fills the whole room. There are a few occasions where the music gets more aggressive with some harsh riffs and blast beats, but most of the time it sticks to its melodies and moderate pace. This works extremely well with the band's heavy use of groovy, rocky guitar work that is mainly based on 70s classic rock with bits of prog rock and fuzzy, warm and dusty riffs. Loads of great melodies unfold and fill the background while the fuzzier side of the guitars is dominating the foreground and creating most of the atmosphere which makes for a pretty ethereal, soft and charming mood that fills your heart with sweet melancholy. Something that would break the neck of most black metal bands, but Vargsheim manages to stand this balancing act outstandingly good with "Staublunge" being the prime example of their craftsmanship. They constantly alternate between this and their more aggressive, more straight forward side with fluent transitions and are thereby creating an extremely dense and rewarding listening experience. The drums support the band's sound by adding some groovy, mostly rather complex rhythms, mainly influenced by classic prog rock, that make a very solid basis for their sound while also pushing the songs forward with aggressive blast beats from time to time.
The vocals, as already mentioned, are the weakest spot on the album, but they still suit the instrumentation really well. Their faint and rather weak nature are limiting their impact, though. They alternate between melodic clean singing (provided by Kaelt) and lower, harsher screams (provided mostly by Harvst), both of which are performed really well and add to the melodic nature of the songs. The cleaner parts are actually benefitting from the chosen production as it makes them sound softer and denser which adds to the melancholic atmosphere while the black metal-inspired screams could need way more energy. Nevertheless both take their part in adding emotions, both darker and lighter ones, and are working very well together, building upon the strengths of their counterpart and outweighing some slight weaknesses here and there. Lyrically the band once again returned to their old route by giving the album a common theme and focuses on human arrogance and how that leads to the downfall of humanity.
"Söhne der Sonne" is the current peak in Vargsheim's discography combining the best aspects of both older and newer releases. Their fusion of dusty, fuzzy 70s rock with melodic Scandinavian black metal is not only unique but also crafted with a great sense for details, making this a fulfilling listening experience and an outstanding symbioses. Despite the music's nature being rather warm and charming, it suits them very well and they really make it work. A bit more care for the vocals and this would've been even better, but it's a great album nonetheless and a must-have for black'n'roll fans.
Official promo video: youtube.com/watch?v=pixwL0CQgYc&list=RDpixwL0CQgYc&start_radio=1
Official promo video: youtube.com/watch?v=WN0q3cH3kqg
