Review: Djevel – Natt Til Ende
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Review by Dagon M.
Djevel – Natt Til Ende
Record Label: Aftermath Music
Year: 2024
Rating: 9/10
The Norwegian powerhouse known as Djevel, marked their 15th year of existence in 2024 with the release of their 9th album, “Natt til Ende”. One of the most creatively active and highest quality acts coming out of Norway in the past decade, they seem to be on a constant roll. Unfortunately comes in the light of the tragic passing of TrånnCiekals, founder and driving force of the band, at just 47 years of age. Though deceased, his legacy is bound to live on forever as he has carved his mark on the world through his musical journey.
When it comes to Natt til Ende, it signals the final chapter of the trilogy for the night in a bombastic and chaotic style. They continue down the path they paved with high-quality compositions of unrelenting fury. This fact is made clear right away from their opening track “Bespottelsen”. An ice-cold riff pierces through the air as the track keeps getting more vicious, with a swirl of intensity being unleashed in each passing minute. Moving on, “En vinter efter kommer” offers a momentary ease before the pace back up again till its climax unravels through an otherworldly chant as the music suddenly stops. Truly a testament to creativity and a complete standout of the album. “Ravnehymne” lashes on pushing the tempo up, bringing to life the very core of the band’s existence.
Djevel
Moving on, “Jesu lidelse” makes its appearance as the crown jewel of the whole album. It creates a breathtaking atmosphere as the lies of Christianity crumble on the alter of burning guitar riffs, thunderous drumming and dissonant vocals. The foggy cloak of the night keeps getting thicker as “Under nattens fane I fandens prakt” brings forth an old school feel, entangling in its web of keyboards. “I skovaandsfavn” is a short piano instrumental that offers a nice interlude and making way for the gruesome ending. The title track “Natt til ende” truly gives justice to its name. A ghastly track, ranging in almost a third of the entire album, sends you spiraling down to a circle of relentless darkness. After the 4-minute mark, the track turns into a ritual that is driven by enchanting keyboards for a grand finale to establish the absence of light and the everlasting night lying ahead.
Djevel has been recognized as a top-tier Black Metal band, belonging to the elite of the bands that have come out of Norway. With a plethora of seemingly flawless releases, they have established their own identity and their compositional skills are undeniable. Through a grim production, fast tremolo picking and synth parts, they have managed to create a hooking result with an old-school aura all around it. The trio of Ciekals, Faust and Kvitrim has stood more than worthy of their reputation and they have resulted in some of the best black metal albums of the past decade. Trånn was a black metal icon of old that will be truly missed in the Black Metal world. Their appearances were always scarce and I will always cherish having the privilege of seeing them perform live at their pinnacle in last year’s Beyond the Gates Festival.
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