First full-length for the Swedish melodic / melancholic black metal act named Mörker. After hearing lots of hype about the music created by the trio, especially when the German Northern Silence Prod. decided to re-release the band’s first and only demo «Den Sista Utfarden», I bumped «Skuggornas Rike» up to the top of the review pile. This album brings us eleven hymns (for a total playing time of almost one hour) of pure cold and melancholic black metal. Morker are melodic without being boring, violent (at times) without being redundant nor monotonous and often melancholic without being cheesy. The desperate black metal screams, the sorrowful melodies created by oppressive keyboard lines coupled with some nice (guitar orientated) accelerated passages… the whole album is an ode to darkness. All of this reminds me of both first Dimmu Borgir albums but without falling into the copycat territory. I strongly suggest anyone who likes the early material of D.B. to give this «Skuggornas Rike» a try; I’m pretty convinced it shall become one of your fave of the last months.
Patricia

http://www.northern-silence.de