Album Review: Svarttjern – Draw Blood (Soulseller Records)

Prepare for the unholy union of darkness and destruction with ‘Draw Blood’, the latest and sixth overall offering from Norwegian black metallers Svarttjern. Out on December 6th, 2024, via Soulseller Records.

This new offering of hate and horror from the entity that is Svarttjern offers no real surprises, no real inventiveness, and no real reason to get excited. Except Svarttjern’s display of blackened metal is so strong, so filled with vigour, and so gleefully horror laden, that the lack of originality becomes immaterial in favour of simply wallowing in the darkness with the band.

When a band is delivering top-shelf quality metal, gnarled and twisted, and as liable to freeze the soul as it is to set it aflame, there’s nothing to complain about, and that is what we get with Draw Blood. A ten-track album that represents aspects of the second wave of black metal that came from Norway, but also has experimental touches of thrash, death, and daringly, groove. It’s not quite trve, but sure is kvlt!

The heavy mania, blood-flecked, and hell-bound is on wicked display throughout and thanks to their intense approach, the first half of the album evaporates in sinister fashion. One moment, it’s coming right for you, then in an instant, it’s sneaking up behind you to dig its claws into the back of your neck. It’s antagonistic, it’s ugly, it has got evil intentions, and its approach is one of constant belligerence, yet it’s very addictive.

It’s invasive. As though a demon has infested the soul and is now working on finding a way to break the spirit. First, by showing you delights and twisting your innocence so the likes of the title track, Don’t Contain Your Lust, Lick My Flesh, and Chop, Slit, Flay become so much more appealing. Yet, it is easy to be taken in as these tracks, and many others, are impressive efforts with appealing ebbs and flows, and peaks and valleys.

Svarttjern are no black metal pretenders, even if a cover of The Rolling Stones’ Under My Thumb will have some of the uglier parts of the fandom gnashing their teeth in anger. They have delivered a genuinely thrilling release, cover included. One that might not be the freshest thing you’ll hear this year but is one that kicks a ton of ass.

Svarttjern – Draw Blood Track Listing:

1. Determination
2. Follow Through
3. Draw Blood
4. Don’t Contain Your Lust
5. Erect Your Congregation
6. Lick My Flesh
7. Chop, Slit, Flay
8. Aluminium Bat Domina
9. Under My Thumb (Rolling Stones Cover)
10. Sin, Offer, Obey

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Soulseller Records