Skogen - Skuggorna Kallar

By Hera Vidal. Although atmospheric black metal can easily become saturated, it’s always interesting to hear elements of other genres embedded within the structure of the primary genre. Granted, bands are not required

By Hera Vidal.


Although atmospheric black metal can easily become saturated, it’s always interesting to hear elements of other genres embedded within the structure of the primary genre. Granted, bands are not required to be innovative to be considered part of a genre, but they should be able to bring their own identity to their music. In the case of Swedish band Skogen, they bring a lot of their form of folk to their brand of atmospheric black metal in their newest album, Skuggorna Kallar.

Skuggorna Kallar (“Call of the Shadows”) is one of the most direct, succinct albums when it comes to scope. For one thing, they give you exactly when you expect: folky black metal that is both dark and fun to listen to. The musicianship involved is of high caliber, and it shows in the placement of the instruments – they create a melodious overtone that easily becomes the selling point of the album. They also have varying dynamics, creating a heavy yet highly atmospheric quality that simultaneously minimalistic and majestic.

What you get is music that you can relax to, yet never fails to show just how heavy it can get. However, what stays constant throughout the album are the vocals. Whether they are howling or clean, the vocals are the driving force behind the music and they are striking. I am surprised that there are a lot of clean vocals in comparison to other albums I’ve listened to. Perhaps they are moving in a new direction and are cementing their roots now so the new ideas and tones can be explored at a later time.

Photos by Robban Kanto.

However, I do have a problem with the production. Everything about the music is great - from the moods set in each song, to the vocal interplay, to the overall atmosphere - but the mixing sounds disparate, as if they didn’t take the time to fully mix the instruments well. There are a lot of lo-fi elements here that could work very well, but they aren’t mixed properly and, instead of contributing to the atmosphere, sometimes they take you out. Note that this may be due to the fact that I am so used to listening to black metal with a cleaner production.

Overall, Skuggorna Kallar is an excellent album that is direct and succinct in both scope and length. Personally, I am interested in their clean vocals and their continued use of folk elements, and I would like to see where this can lead. Hopefully, they are able to conceive a larger scope that works well both in their favor and in their themes.

Skogen - I döden

Written by Majbritt Levinsen.

Artwork by Samos

When the full album stream of Skogens new I Döden (In Death) was made available a few months back I immediately proclaimed that this just might be an album of the year for me. I made my pre-order of the album before I had even heard the full album to the end and I have not one ounce of regret about that decision.

As I sit here with my headphones on and absorb the music with my ears and feel the music in my gut, I also smell the ink from the booklet and watch the stunning artwork of Samos/Wolkogniv from Folkingrimm Art, all my senses are in use. It is more convenient with digital downloads through Bandcamp, in regards of storing and mobile accessibility, but I still buy physical CD’s and even LP’s, and when the packaging is as well done as this, then I am truly happy!

Skogen has since their formation in 2009 been pretty productive and released 4 albums and has with this release gone back to the sound of the first two albums, which are more atmospheric and slow. The band consist of Jocke Svensson, bass and vocals, Mathias Nilsson, guitars, keys and vocals and Linus Larsson on the drums.

What makes this album great? When three people with a mutual musical/artistic direction and passion comes together and all are equally involved and no boundaries is set, you know something great is about to happen. The tracks have been carefully arranged on I Döden and though I at first thought the slower "Solarvore" didn't really fit the rest of the album, as it is has a little different feeling than the rest of the tracks, it has grown on me, slowly.

What hit me the most, when I first heard the album, was the clear sound of the recording. I Döden bursts out and attacks your ears with brutal delicacy, offering some insane melodic parts, that almost invites to some heathen bouncing around, and the acoustic guitar parts are so delicate and fragile but so perfectly placed within the tracks (the title track "I Döden", is a perfect example of this). Skogen uses keys with moderation just the way I like it; they give the tracks depth and atmosphere and doesn't overpower. Depth and atmosphere is what you'll find on this album whether it is in the more raw and powerful tracks or in the more mellow passages.

And I simply have to quote an anonymous Bandcamp’er: "..."Sleep" should be the song playing for us when we go to wherever the fuck we go when we die.". I couldn't agree more, the track is simply beautiful in all it’s atmospheric, and I would say hypnotic, black metal glory. Thankfully we get +13 minutes of this little masterpiece that closes off the album.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]