Bizarrekult - VI Overlevde

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Coming from Oslo, Norway, BIZARREKULT is bridging the two identities of it mastermind -philosophical depth of frozen Siberian steppe and the majestic beauty of Norwegian soil on this debut album. They formed back in 2006 as a response to the chaos of the surroundings and already with a first demo got attention through 2000 copy split CD release. However, following the second studio demo and then a two track rehearsal demo in Bergen, the project was laid on ice. “Vi Overlevde” (we survived) speaks to the heart of every post-Black Metal fan that is looking for something different. The tracks are tightly connected to the lyrical themes of frustration, despair, sorrow, forgiveness and finally, hope. The album contains eleven tracks.

“I Mørket” opens the album. It’s a short, mood-setting instrumental. The mood is dark, and scary, with just enough of a presence that it can’t pass you by unnoticed. “For 1000 År Siden” opens with a Black Metal assault that is both gloomy and powerful. The vocals are unrelenting here, while the guitars hold down that wall of sound, and the drums pound away. Those clean vocals after the half-way mark add a unique dimension to the sound. “Galskap” is another shorter song but with no less ferociousness. The level of evil never lets up. It puts you through the washer and into the dryer, tumbling you over and over.

“Ut I Skogen” is a slower and longer song, letting the nefarious nature of the song soak into your bones, slowly draining you of life, until you are a skeleton. Some melody seeps in close to the half-way mark, and then it descends into hell towards completion. “Skrik I Tomhet” is a three-minute clip. Fire shoots down from the sky and lightning from swollen thunderheads. Again, the clean vocals are what keeps the genre as Post-Metal. “Alt Er Bortkastet” begins with a slower pace and more discernable guitar riff. But the chaos breaks out eventually. “I Trygge Hender” is a mid-tempo number with some real power and might in the riffs and vocals. It settles into a groove around the half-way mark, but the harrowing sounds are not lessened. Suddenly, it drops a moment of pure bliss…charming music and clean vocals, and that’s how it ends.

“Fremmede Kyster” is another mid-tempo song that uses a more traditional approach when it comes to the genre. Weighted, depressing and hopeless, it drags you down and sinks its teeth into your flesh and doesn’t let go. Suddenly, the sound drops again to the pretty melodies and clean vocals, and again, it stays her until completion. “Fremmede Kyster” is another track like the opener…very short…but you can’t tell what might be lurking out in the night, waiting for you with a death-like silence. “Ensomhet” slays the previous track, entering with a commanding presence. They hold back just enough to give you a taste of their vile wickedness, and then unleash the beast upon you.

“Siste Ord” is the longest song on the album, at just over six minutes in length. Bass guitar thumps under a bed of harsh vocals that are held back just a bit. It takes a pause then returns with a vengeance. There is a long and charming fade-out at the end. “Avskjed” closes the album, and it’s a three-minute song of ambiance, again where you can’t tell if what is coming at you is good, or evil. It’s the perfect ending to a very unique album.

Not being able to understand the lyrics does not mean that you cannot connect with the themes the band described above. It is indeed sorrow, frustration and despair. The element of hope comes with some of the clean, ambient passages that are so pretty in their sadness. However, these moments on the album are relatively short-lived, and left me wanting more. But, allow yourself to get lost in their world, and you might not be able to get back to yours.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 8