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TRELLDOM “...By The Shadows”
TRELLDOM “...By The Shadows”
By Octopi Mills
Here we have Gaahl's old project doing something new in that this is a new album. Though championed by the homosexual community, he is also hated by a lot of people- not for his lifestyle but rather for controversy and showmanship in past situations in his media situations and in the courts of Norway with his former band, GORGOROTH. One must say that the man has a natural flair for showmanship and controversy but that often he is capable of some interesting and unusual works.
Whether or not the fellow can play an instrument or not is debatable, and I am not sure who is responsible for the unusual and sometimes interesting sounds and forms of music happening here on this album. This is not old school black metal but rather something different. It seems there is a fellow named Stian Karstad who collaborated here, creating music which as I have stated, is quite unusual. At times it enters places that are near to other realms and strange lands, something that doesn't always happen anymore in the circles of such. Swirling music that could be called avant-garde prevails with the trademark of Gaahl's vocals, which are remarkably original and like an instrument in their cuckhold-ish style. This adds another dimension to the music in the vocals alone.
Capable of going from darkly clean descriptions to jazzy horns and unearthly Norse elements, the music is quite a surprise overall. The tidings are darkly and strangely adorned. A song like "I Drink Out of My Head" is a good example of the unique things happening here. At the end of the day, it truly surpasses the contemporaries and a lot of the old in terms of passion and creativity. The voice itself does things that are of awe and creepy, fully able to capture the listener in the darkly swirling way it has. Though I am admittedly familiar with this project but not at all an enthusiast, I must say this could very well go up on my own Wormwood top ten of the year list, possibly to steal the top tier if it were in an order of such.
Fortunately, it is not. Add in the fact it was recorded by Pytten at the legendary Grieghallen studios and things become dangerous. The place has surely lent a huge part in the sound I would guess, but not even Grieghallen can make an album great by itself, tis true. Prophecy Productions has done a fine job in the outer promotion of this album as well.
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