When I first came across this band, the name threw me off. I was not expecting such a dark, heavy sound. Not much information is to be found on this band, other than that they are from Sweden, and consist of four members, all of whom remain a mystery as their description of members on their Facebook page only uses their initials.
The mystery only draws you in. The album art is intriguing, ritualistic looking, and the album name All Hail the Swinelord is fascinating, and carries some darkness with it. Although I'm not well versed in polytheism, it could be a fictional figure made for the album, or if it exists in some form of religion, it's pretty raw. Even the last two minutes of the song "rites" has this eerie, muffled chanting which will give chills, if not summon some soiled spirits.
This type of black metal did not take long to get into. For a debut album, it's very fulfilling. Varying tempos and off beat rhythms, vocals making their own path as the music goes into another direction, crushing drums that resist blasting incessantly, and actually form intentional beats that are highly distinguishable. The raw sound emitted is reminiscent of Sulphur Aeon, which is a complement.
The first three tracks are pretty heavy and offer a more technical approach to their music. The varying tempos ("New Temples" is an excellent example of this) and some off-timed segments make for a comfortable variation of your typical black metal. A crusty doom presence is felt as well, but this all fades when reaching track four, "XI: For I am the Fire". This is where the catchy, drawn-out, almost ambient segments start. The riffs are similar to other familiar black metal hooks, but still hold true to their own sound and creation.
Its apparent that great care was taken when recording and producing All Hail the Swinelord. The crusty dungeon-like feel is strong, but at the same time, it's clean enough to carry the beautiful, feminine melody on "New Temples, and the end of "Askrådare". I was fairly surprised at this odd combination and how well it sounded. It's not a typical mix you would think of when listening to their self proclaimed genre of "heavy tar", but it's a pleasant break from the recorded in a trashcan in a basement sound that is a dime a dozen in the cvlt scene.
The track "We Use Your Dead as Vessels" is a personal favorite. It's hard to pick a personal favorite as the album flows nicely as a whole, and breaking it down into songs seems to deteriorate its integrity. The crushing opening of the track slowly backs off, but the harsh vocals remain on full blast. The riff that swings back and forth dives down into a slower rhythm with blasting drums to accompany until there are two minutes remaining. An agonizing cry is melodically incorporated, backing the harsh lead vocals. These backing cries have almost a tormented worship sound. A praise of pain and sorrow, a mournful darkness that can only be heard, as the lack of sight desperately aches for light, and the misery of endless torment continuously envelopes and harasses these encapsulated souls.
Their final track, "Askrådare" is an excellent closure. Some harsh vocals are present, but they are lighter, and seem filtered. Some clean singing is melodically chanted for several minutes, and post rock-like music escorts the track to the end. It's the most redeeming track on the album, and a fitting closure to the dark passages that were previously explored.
Black Metal is difficult for many people to enjoy, especially those individuals not accustomed to metal. Those who appreciate black metal, though, will find this a refreshing album. It's not your true cvlt release, but it has plenty of dark in it to make up for it. The catchy riffs and varied tempos and portions of clean singing and chanting will make this a more accessible album to those not used to black metal. Enjoy the Heavy Tar that is All Hail the Swinelord.
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