Embedded Files
1349 “The Wolf And The King”
1349 “The Wolf And The King”
By Dr. Abner Mality
For 1349, it’s always the Middle Ages and the height of the Black Plague. These guys will never lighten up...and thereby lies their strength. They say this created this album to strictly be early 90’s black metal and nothing else and they are true to their word. For me, “Hellfire” will always be their magnum opus but “The Wolf And The King” is not far behind.
This is a lean album. They don’t experiment much...no need to worry that they’re going to do another “Demonoir” and get all ambient on us. It’s Norse black metal with a healthy injection of thrash and even some straight metal...the songs are to the point like an arrow between the ribs. “The God Devourer” is a somewhat deceptive opening shot, as it slithers and grooves in a mid-paced way like a serpent on the prowl. Rather reminiscent of mid-period SATYRICON, in a way. With “Ash of Ages”, we get into the meat on the album, with dark medieval power chords and atomic drumming by Frost. The snarling vocals of Ravn remind me a lot of classic Henri Sattler of GOD DETHRONED and indeed, there is a close resemblance to that band here and on the thrash-injected “Shadow Point” and title track.
The only cut that doesn’t really work for me is the slow plod of “Inner Portal”, which is meant to be ominous but just comes across as dull Seek instead the brutal primitivism of “Obscura” which reeks of BATHORY and CELTIC FROST. Or maybe the all-out blitz of “The Vessel and The Storm”, which hits hard. With the exception of “Inner Portal”, 1349 really don’t make a wrong move here. Perhaps they are playing it safe in a way, but it’s the kind of safety that true black metal fans can take comfort in.
Report abuse