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 Nidsang - The Mark of Death

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Lusitanian Lynx
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Lusitanian Lynx


Number of posts : 149
Age : 37
Localisation : England
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Registration date : 2008-01-18

Nidsang - The Mark of Death Empty
PostSubject: Nidsang - The Mark of Death   Nidsang - The Mark of Death EmptyFri 5 Jun - 12:29

Taken from "Diabolical Conquest" :

In the compositions of Nidsang are traces of the Italian improv ensemble Gruppo Di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza. Just kidding, they play pretty grating black metal that sounds like Darkthrone's Under a Funeral Moon and A Blaze in the Northern Sky. To be fair, I hear a hint of Vonnish crust, the muscular thrash breaks are pretty Bathoryesque, and during their more melodic moments they channel a bit of early Rotting Christ, but the fact these elements are so easy to discern can be attributed to the fact Nidsang rarely stand on their own two feet.

You see, when a band loves another band very much, it's normal for that band to put the other band's riff in its album. But sometimes that band may love more than one other band, and may decide to fill its album with multiple bands' riffs. The puritan villagers will, of course, sneer at the band behind its back: "I say, Thaddeus, I regard that band as a most bawdy, unwholesome sort."; "Indeed, Nigel, 'twould be safer to dine on carrion than to make bedfellows with that trollopsome wench!" The two men would then adjust their top hats and titter mischievously over their crumpets. Despite this, the band will remain steadfast in its feelings, which is good for them and all, but what of the listeners? The title track is the first song in which we hear any unique ideas beyond up-down tremolo Darkthrone-aping, with some surprisingly groovy bending, while "Atra Mors" features uncharacteristically grandiose phrasing and leads, but instances such as these tend to end as soon as you manage to get into them. Don't get me wrong, this kind of everyday black metal can be done right with some spine in the songwriting, but there are more textureless, aimless transitions on this album than instances of the combination of words "and therefore" in a community college essay.

On the other hand, Nidsang managed to satiate my Von fetish with a cover of the said band's "Lamb." Unfortunately, Von covers always seem rather superfluous; I mean, how significant or interesting can you make one without changing the song completely? Von were just one of those bands I'd rather hear play their own material than some Swedish guys who really like them. Not to set too negative of a tone; a Von cover's a Von cover, which means it destroys half the shit out there by default. Although there aren't too many stylistic lines to draw between the aforementioned American minimalists and norskaryskblakkmetal like this, the two do share one prevailing feature that happens to be Nidsang's best asset: intense delivery. While the music always seems to sway about ambivalently in vain search of an identity, the conviction behind the thrash breaks and in-the-red vocals pushing the loping beast forward almost sells it at times.

If only all album art was this fitting; with The Mark of Death, a monochromatic tangle of barbed wire is exactly what you get. Much like after having seen a Tarantino movie, consider me entertained but underwhelmed -- entertained at a base level by the obvious love the artists have for what they do and the gratuitous violence of it all, but ultimately underwhelmed by the baseless arrogance with which they string together what is essentially a collage of their influences. If you like your metal hateful and Scandinavian, you may want to keep a cautious eye on Nidsang, but they have some growing to do.


Taken from "Metal Crypt" :

Another stranger brought home by Drakkar Productions. This time, it's a more extreme act that goes by the name of Nidsang. This Swedish band is said to be similar to old Watain without the Dissection influence.

What I can say about The Mark of Death is that this type of Black Metal is furious, blasphemous and fast - and sometimes very fast, such as in the title track's intro. Their extreme art is kind of melodic, especially in the frequent moderate passages. That's when the guitar work gets crunchier, the bass fatter and wicked - the most interesting parts, as far as I'm concerned. A few electronics and keyboards scattered here and there, some voice samplings and choir come in handy when time is up for a bit of a melodic touch and ambiance.

Being no fan of the overuse of blast beats, I can't say I was impressed or thrilled by this release although the mid/crushing moments brought a pleasant break in the listening experience. As for the best tracks to be heard, I can recommend: the title track, Glorious Destruction and Whiter and Die.


Taken from "Teeth of the divine" :

To put a nid on someone is to curse them. One famous account is that of Egil Skallagrimsson who erected a nidstang against King Eirik Bloodaxe who had made Egil an outlaw. After killing a large number of the king’s men Egil placed a hazelwood pole in the ground and on the top of the pole he stuck a cut off horse’s head, aimed towards land. On the pole he carves sacred runes, with a curse upon King Eirik. He spoke thus: “Here I place this nidstang (curse-pole), and turneth it against King Eirik and Queen Gunnhild - turneth I this against all the gnomes and little people of the land, that they may all be lost, not finding their homes, until they drive King Eirik and Queen Gunnhild out of the country.” Needless to say this is powerful magic and I don’t wish to have one erected against me, so I will be calling The Mark Of Death the debut album of the year.

Since it would be hard for the band to round up all of you that do not buy the album out of fear of reprisals I might as well give you enticement for supporting the band on my behalf, since I am easier to find and curse. Nidsang play Swedish styled black metal in the same vein as Setherial, whom they have toured with, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Funeral Mist, etc. They also happen to be Swedish. They formed late 2004 and this is their debut album. Fast, raw and intense, this music is as subtle as a blowtorch to the face. This is full speed in all directions at once chaotic noise fueled by pure viciousness. Of course it is satanic anti Christian, violently so. This is pummeling that purple-haired kid in the pit music, adrenal glands working overtime.

You will hear lots of familiar riffs but so what, 99% of riffs are stolen from Slayer anyhow, just ask them. When Nidsang calms down for some atmosphere you take notice but it is still buzzing and cold, pent up rage waiting for the next psychotic break. With this band it is not so much what they do that is appealing, it is what they do not do, and what they choose to do they do right. There is never a lull for you to catch your breath or a moment for introspective deliberation on life’s major philosophical issues, but neither is it Panzer Division. This band is recommended for all those that prefer to shave their five o’clock shadow with a chainsaw. Recommended songs are “Filling The Chambers,” “Atra Mors,” and “Glorious Destruction.”


Last edited by Lusitanian Lynx on Fri 5 Jun - 13:14; edited 1 time in total
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