Split 2023 (Nithstang Productions, 2023)
Grundhyrde is, along with a few other USMB acts, some of the best Black Metal I have heard in the last few years. I have never been a big fan of ultra-fast-cutting-violent Black Metal and have always preferred to absorb artists that had a higher melodic presence, less buried beneath the fast drumming, for example. Grundhyrde is a very good example of the Black Metal I identify with the most, today. I have always been a fan of Black Metal bands that used keyboards and were able to create those haunting and decrepit melodies, and many bands have recaptured the instrument, used it properly, and launched a new wave of keyboards in Black Metal. No Marduk for you, my friend. And it is not that I do not enjoy a good “Panzer Division…” or even “Iron Dawn”, but THAT Black Metal is far from the one that truly pulled me in.
And melody is the basis of this Split, beautiful melodies, and ancient melodies. It is not easy to put into words what I actually extract from this release, from these bands. Their sound is very much what I expect the USBM scene to sound today. I do mention this plenty of times, but the US has almost crafted a sound of their own, and it is not like all bands sound the same, no, but you can almost say “hey, these guys are from the US”. Grundhyrde has only released Splits since its inception in 2020, and all are amazing. The 2020 Split with Klagesturm is an amazing piece of cold Black Metal. Then came Black Imperial Blood, and then Nachtlich, another superb release. This last release is, again, a Split, this time with fellow countryman Verflucht, who released a Demo in 2021, “Demise of a King, Demise of an Empire”, and that I am yet to check.
Once more, Sceadugenga (Andustyn, Deogen, Geheimnisvoll, Kopfen, Kaleidoscope Autistic Blood) brings forth his vision of Black Metal, and melodic it is. 3 tracks, plus a cover of “Lost Wisdom” is all it takes for Grundhyrde to show why his name is taken in so much consideration, by me at least. First seconds took me straight to Moonspell’s “Sin/Pecado” and Tiamat’s “Wildhoney” with the electro dance intro… this is almost Moonspell’s “2econd Skin” LOL this is short lived, so we jump straight into the Black Metal persona, and this is why I like this lad so much. His sound is enrooted in the Past, but his physical being lives in the Present, and present time Black Metal is a fusion of both temporal realities, where you get the best of both. Production-wise it is amazing, but really amazing. Not that muffled sound buried in everything, but not a crystal-clear sound; it is just perfect enough for you to understand all the instruments, all the moments, all the transitions. And transition is a good way to describe this Split. Faster moments, guitar driven moments, calmer and slower moments; all fuse into each other and the outcome is superb. Those who are familiar with this entity will find the same approach, and if you loved his previous works, you are bound to love this one.
Verflucht was a completely unknown entity to me. From the US, just like his partner in crime, and also a one-man project. At first, Verflucht sounds a lot harsher and more aggressive than Grundhyrde, but a more violent sort of melody maker, if that makes sense. Verflucht’s vocals are buried beneath all the instruments, sounding almost like coming from the grave… which is cool once the music starts flowing. A different way to project the vocals, and it works pretty well. It is an all-around more visceral musical scenario than Grundhyrde’s, but a good one, no doubt about it. 4 tracks of cool Black Metal, whit some variations (“At the Breast of the Sorceress”) that show the man doing his magick in an almost Post something moment that intertwines very well with the rest of the song. A distinct twist, I reckon. If I call it dynamics makes all sense. What I love about these songs is that sense of epic that I get from these tunes, majestic calls to arms.
Both this Artists show that the USBM scene is alive and well, and it has more facets than just a visceral, ultra-aggressive and brutal perspective of the genre; there is melody and strength, ferocious musical structures, and designs; ancient melodies and contemporary atmospheres; all is aligned, and all is perfect.
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