Vintersorg Jordpuls
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
While he may be known for his seemingly endless string of projects, ranging from the all-out folk metal of Otyg, to the pure prog of Waterclime, or his well-known position as frontman for Borknagar, Andreas Hedlund has finally returned to the band that gave him his stage name, Vintersorg. Joining up with longtime co-conspirator Mattias Marklund, the duo are set to release their seventh full-length, Jordpuls (Pulse of the Earth).
Picking up where 2007’s Solens Rötter left off, Jordpuls sees the band continuing to meld their earlier, folk-inspired metal with the complicated progressive sounds of Visions From the Spiral Generator and The Focusing Blur. The result is a diverse, technical piece of extreme prog perhaps best considered “thinking man’s metal.” This is essentially extreme metal for the Jethro Tull crowd, and were Ian Anderson to become infatuated with black metal, it is likely the result would be quite similar to Jordpuls.
As is his MO, Vintersorg (the man) flows seamlessly between harsh shrieks and layered clean vocals. Hard-hitting opener “Världsalltets Fanfar” is as aggressive a black metal opus as Vintersorg has ever done, but with its uber-catchy chorus and 70s-inspired acoustic break, it instantly differentiates the band from any of its compatriots. Even the similarly minded Borknagar tends to stay in slightly less divergent progressive waters.
As “Världsalltets Fanfar” illustrates, Jordpuls is unquestionably full of variety. While it never veers too far from its extreme roots, there are so many changes, layers of instrumentation, and intricate passages that it’s unlikely anyone will get the full picture after only one listen. From the massive harmonies and 70s vibe of “Skogen Sover” to the excellent, yet completely unmetal sounding solo on “Eld Och Lågor,” Jordpuls constantly challenges the listener while also ensuring they stay completely enthralled.
Like many of the albums in Vintersorg’s backcatalog, Jordpuls is sung completely in Swedish, but it can be assumed that the lyrical content follows that of earlier albums, dealing with nature and its complexities, as well as science and the cosmos. Of course, it could just as well deal with bread making and chair making, and based on the strength of the music, that wouldn’t necessarily deter from the album’s greatness.
As they have several times before, Vintersorg continue to create metal that is both intense and heavy, while also being beautiful and complicated. This is not easy listening for the metal fan that likes simple riffing and endless aggression. However, for those that enjoy brains and brawn all rolled together, Jordpuls is well worth a series of listens.
Genre: Progressive Black Metal
Band:
Andreas Hedlund (vocal, guitars, keys, programming, etc)
Mattias Marklund (guitar)
Track Listing:
1. Världsalltets Fanfar
2. Klippor Och Skär
3. Till Dånet Av Forsar Och Fall
4. Mörk Nebulosa
5. Stjärndyrkan
6. Skogen Sover
7. Vindögat
8. Palissader
9. Eld Och Lågor
Label: Napalm Records
Website: www.myspace.com/vintersorganic
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.3/10