Kampfar – Mare

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Kampfar might be black metal’s best-kept secret. After forging a solid niche in the pagan black metal scene with a series of albums sung entirely in Norwegian that weren’t afraid to dip into folky waters, they’ve unleashed Mare, which may be the most vicious, most rock n’ roll assault in the genre since Watain‘s Lawless Darkness. They have a few songs in English this time around (Mare and especially the ripping Blitzwitch are highlights), and the consuming energy of the album doesn’t let up for even a second. If Kampfar can still be called pagan black metal, it must be lurking somewhere in the Norwegian lyrics, because none of the instrumentation or arrangements should result in the band being lumped in with the likes of In the Woods… or Moonsorrow. This is black metal as Mayhem and Immortal intended it: atmospheric, but still preoccupied by a thrash-like obsession with getting heads banging. An interesting touch is the extremely crisp production, which a lot of the more rock-oriented black metal bands forego in favor of creating a raw atmosphere. It’s unconventional, but it works for Kampfar, and Mare sees them moving in a new direction that they’re clearly quite comfortable occupying.

Written by Brad Sanders
More: 2011, Albums, Black Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Kampfar