Review 2582 : Ereb Altor – Hälsingemörker – English

A new epic begins for Ereb Altor.

Since 2003, the project led by Ragnar (vocals/guitar/bass, Isole, ex-Forlorn) and Mats (vocals/bass/guitar/keyboards, Isole, ex-Forlorn), joined today by Tord (drums, Undivine, ex-Isole) and Björn (bass/vocals, Isole, ex-Loch Vostok, ex-Planet Rain) have announced with Hammerheart Records the release of their tenth album, Hälsingemörker.

We start with Valkyrian Fate, which immediately establishes a fast pace and motivating vocal parts, while drawing on the aggression of its Pagan roots. A slower, dissonant passage allows us to appreciate the dissonant harmonics and orchestrations, before setting off again at its equally catchy cruising speed before giving way to the eponymous composition, Hälsingemörker. It starts much more slowly, but you can feel the acceleration coming, and it in turn carries us along in its motivating war march, on which the vocalists appear, and which becomes more melodic, but also sometimes more raw, as during the double kick eruptions. Black Metal influences appear towards the end of the track, before the heady Ättestupan takes over, bringing with it welcome haunting tones that let us appreciate its melancholy. Although quite dark, the composition’s atmosphere remains rather gentle, even during the epic final, whereas Vi Är Mörkret quickly shows itself to be more aggressive, whether with the saturated vocals or the riffs themselves, which betray a certain savagery, sometimes replaced by a heavy heaviness. Träldom quickly blends its hypnotic riffs with its rage, creating a unifying sound to which the band adds its intoxicating harmonics, which again transform into spikes of fury after the break, guiding us into The Waves, The Sky and the Pyre, which gets off to a more moderate start. Doom roots are first felt in the opening moments, welcoming the vocals, but other hues will also appear, especially in the second half of the track, where the sound is more powerful, as on The Last Step, which is immediately vindictive. Although the vocals are predominantly clear, they remain intense and perfectly accompany the piercing melodies of the guitars, as on the sharp solo before the soothing break, which doesn’t last long, leaving the rhythm section to return to the same power with a few screams to close the album.

Deluxe edition owners see their experience extended, starting with the imposing Midvinter, which begins with vocals only, but soon sees majestic riffs appear to complete the picture. The track is extremely gripping, but also relatively long compared to Skogsrået, which reminds me a lot of Neo Folk, but still allows a little room for some saturated elements to weigh down its atmosphere. The vocals blend to perfection before giving way to The Lake of Blood, which recaptures the rhythm’s darkness, while maintaining a heavy slowness and a few roars that merely complement the melancholy tones that bring the adventure to a close.

Whether Ereb Altor has always been renowned for its epic, warlike Nordic atmospheres, we can clearly say that Hälsingemörker plunges us into the heart of battle! The album is gripping from start to finish, and clearly suffers no downtime.

95/100

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