Description

Black vinyl with printed innersleeve

Monumental Possession is the sophomore effort from Norways Dodheimsgard. Released on Malicious Records in June 1996, just a year and a half after their debut album, this record is an entirely different beast and improves on just about every flaw that existed on Kronet Til Konge. The musical approach is more primitive and straightforward, while the vocal performance is shared between three different members. The average song length is a little shorter and there are fewer of them, as well. It is a mystery as to why this album is the lesser-known of the two, as it is superior in all ways. Black metal needs variety and progression – thanks to albums like this, it still far from being repetitive. Monumental Possession mixes black metal, thrash metal with avantgarde. What’s more – this mixture sounds great and amazingly natural, leaving no doubt that black metal sounds right with some improvements. The songs are mostly based on faster rhythms and strange riffs that are transformed into classic old Bathory-style thrash metal. However, there are also songs that show the different, even odd side. Strange, even comic vocals that remind me Maniac brought to extreme, riffs that sound like they were pulled out from a Darkthrone release or other allusions make the album vanguard and sometimes get it out of taste, but make the listener interested at the same time. Dodheimsgard did what Darkthrone did not yet have the courage to do, around this time. They made their sound even uglier and more primitive, regressing back to an older sound that better captured the feeling of raw evil and total death. Monumental Possession is an appropriate title as, for one release, the band was possessed by the ancient ones just long enough to create something that was a fitting tribute to the darkness of the past, before moving on to other interests. What’s more, Monumental Possession simply holds great music – fine riffs and so on. It’s amazing how Dodheimsgard evolved from typical true black metal to this in one year’s time. The third album continues progression, but that’s the theme for another review. For those who want to hear black metal from behind the dirty window, look for this record, it is much better than Kronet Til Konge and is highly recommended.

Track listing:
1. Utopia Running Scarlet
2. The Crystal Specter
3. Bluebell Heart
4. Monumental Possession
5. Fluency
6. Angel Death
7. Lost in Faces
8. The Ultimate Reflection