Bergraven

Roughly translating to "visions of death,” Dödsvisioner, Pär Gustafsson’s sophomore effort released under the moniker Bergraven, explores the dismal fate that awaits us all in a musical experiment that defies traditional black metal boundaries. Unwilling to surrender to the typical deafening riff mash, seemingly endless mechanical battering and over-the-top "satanic” imagery, Gustafsson chose to look beyond the confines of classification and focus instead on exploring a variety of sonic textures in a distinguishing and artistic course of action. This forward thinking layering makes good use of bleak melody, which is often heavily keyboard driven, maintaining a distorted heaviness throughout the inevitably gloomy product. His often slowed, mid-tempo approach is occasionally revived by a slightly upbeat optimism but is quick to descend back into the funereal chasm from whence it came. Though the record maintains the raw sensibilities of conventional black metal, the production manages to highlight the sombre melodies that compose the bulk of his visions while cultivating a haunting atmosphere that highlights this discomforting thematic journey. Elitists rejoice, you’ve got another underground hero to champion. (Hydrahead)