Vanhelgd

Vanhelgd

Temple Of Phobos

Dark Descent

The Swedish masters of aversion and forlorn Vanhelgd returns with an even darker aspect of death metal surpassing what is deemed traditional and into the realms of blackened doom metal with Temple Of Phobos. While still firmly locked into that unmistakable Vanhelgd sound, it is clear that on Temple Of Phobos they have steered into a much more despondent territory; very reminiscent of the early '90s doom. Vanhelgd have managed to capture the essence and vibe with such perfection on this album that perhaps this will go down in the band's history as one of their heaviest, gloomiest and blackest records ever. Recorded and mixed at Studio Underjord with Joona Hassinen (Year Of The Goat, Saturnalia Temple, Ocean Chief, etc) and mastering duties by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Repugnant, Desultory, etc) and once again gracing the ominous artwork by Vanhelgd frontman Mattias "Flesh" Frisk (Ghost, Entrapment, Vampire, etc).

Vanhelgd

Deimos Sanktuarium

Dark Descent

The significance of true Swedish Dark Metal now lies in torchbearers Vanhelgd on their fifth full-length record Deimos Sanktuarium. With the band’s unwavering style of obscurum death / doom heavily drenched in riffs of dejection, Mattias Frisk & Co. are determined to clobber out some of the most heaviest yet forlorn extreme music in the recent years. Deimos Sanktuarium is a vibrant work of contempt and apathy molded in an enraptured state of beautiful grief. Featuring Year Of The Goat frontman Thomas Sabbathi arranging and performing unearthly choirs on "Silent Observer". Recorded at Studio Underjord with Joona Hassinen (Year Of The Goat, Saturnalia Temple, Ocean Chief, etc) and mixing and mastering duties by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio (Watain, Repugnant, Desultory, etc.) and Vanhelgd frontman Mattias Frisk (Ghost, Entrapment, Vampire, etc.) once again handling the odiously haunting artwork on Deimos Sanktuarium.

Vanhelgd

Relics Of Sulphur Salvation

20 Buck Spin

Much in the way that the first wave of Swedish death metal bands began to diverge stylistically by the time of their second and third LPs, so too has the current crop of Swedish bands, polarizing critics and fans alike. Fortunately, some bands simply proceed logically forward, advancing their sound without abandoning what made them appealing to begin with. Among these few, Vanhelgd stands tall with their crushing third LP Relics of Sulphur Salvation.  Having released two well received LPs via the Nuclear War Now label, including 2011’s outstanding and underrated Church of Death, the band makes a big leap in production quality on Relics of Sulphur Salvation. The eight complex and memorable songs strike with an urgent ferocity not seen in other so-called “boundary-pushing” or “progressive” releases in recent memory. This is death metal from the guts, played with relentless and nuanced savagery. Vanhelgd’s natural skill for crafting monumental death metal songs suggests early At The Gates, Entombed, and even elements of My Dying Bride. Tracks like opener “Dödens Maskätna Anlete” and “Where All Flesh Is Soil” hit like a hammer to the skull; immediate, without mercy and not soon forgotten. The terrifyingly raw, mutilated vocals of Mattias Frisk are as vital an “instrument” as the similarly voiced Tompa Lindberg and Martin Van Drunen.  A thousand records will be released this year for the average death metal fan. Only a handful will warrant more than a spin or two, and even less will make it off the...