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2.24.2005
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Ragnarok
Feature ImageBlackdoor Miracle
Regain Records

As I’ve stated before I’m very selective about by black metal, especially the corpse paint laden garden implement wielding types, all I ask is that it be decently produced. I can’t tell you much about Ragnarok, but the fact they are on Regain Records along with Marduk, Setherial, Dark Funeral and The Legion, should clue you I as to the style of black metal this is. Given a malignant sheen by virtue of Tommy Tagtgren at his Abyss studio, the wall of sound, buzzing guitars are in full effect, but the Darthrone purists may cry afoul of the overly clean sound that instantly takes Ragnarok out of the grim/kult category, a realm they occupied for their four prior albums I’m lead to believe. So, the production is good and that’s a check mark for me, so how’s the song writing? Well is forceful Norwegian black metal-what do you expect? Demonic screams over vaguely melodically sprinkled blasts beats, it’s been done before and you’ve heard it before, both better and worse; Ragnarok area strictly middle of the road act, that fans will enjoy. However, I will comment on a few things that surfaced while listening to the album. At around the title track a blacker thrash sounds crawls to the surface, and the album takes a distinct turn for the worse. Rather than the epically blasting titles like “Heir of Darkness” and “Re-creation of the Angel”, you get shotgun samples and tracks like “Murder” and “Kneel”-far more grimy and thrashy. It’s a very noticeable shift in songwriting. As unoriginal as it is, I rather enjoyed the hypersonic blasting chords of the albums earlier tracks. ‘Bless Thee for Granting me Pain”, mixes the too styles somewhat and the Nordic blasting simply washes away the head-banging thrash tactics in a river of Christian blood (this is a black metal review after all). The album closer “Journey From Life” makes amends for the album’s mid point stumble by encompassing everything that is good about the genre; scathing, dizzying speed, and just enough grandiose harmonies to give it more of an glorious, shovel-swinging, pagan ambience, rather than the beer ‘n’ leather road metal riffs on the albums middle section. Ragnarok, even at their most acidic don’t quite measure up to their peers or their apocalyptic namesake, as Marduk and Setherial simple are more destructive, notably in the bass department. If Marduk’s delivery is a bass filled infernal firestorm, Ragnarok are a slight drizzle with some thunder. Blackdoor Miracle (I swear when I first saw the album, I thought it was ‘Backdoor’ Miracle-the cover didn’t help) is an OK album with some decent moments early on, but the band still is about a decade behind black metal and to be honest, a pretty no name act competing against heavy weights like Marduk, is a losing fight. Still, fans of well produced Norwegian black metal could do worse.
[Erik Thomas]



 
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