Vreid

Norway's black metallers Vreid, an offshoot of the acclaimed and sadly defunct Windir, are back with their fourth full-length offering since their 2004 inception. Although there isn't a linear storyline here, it is definitely a conceptual album; Milorg (the name of the Norwegian resistance movement in WWII) chronicles various episodes in Norway during that period. The music is remarkably consistent in tone ― aggressive, pensive, desperate, bleak ― and yet reaches a fairly wide scope within its genre. Memorable melodies and a tasteful nod to folk help break up the dominating blasts and raging riffs, while the narrative lyrics paint a depressing but vivid picture of the period. Outstanding tracks include nine-minute opener "Alarm," "Heroes & Villains" and the two-parter "Blücher." With excellent, clear production and solid writing/performing, Milorg is hard to stop listening to, and will hopefully help launch Vreid to a wider audience.