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For Snow Covered the Northland (1996)
Recorded in December 1994 and released in 1996, For Snow Covered the Northland is the debut full-length from Sweden's Ancient Wisdom. The music here can best be described as atmospheric black metal with a strong doom influence. Most of the album is slow to mid-paced, relying on mournful melodies, anguished vocals, and a cold, dismal atmosphere rather than aggression.
This isn't terribly far removed from some of the stuff that Throne of Ahaz was doing, just a little more slow and melodic. At times, it almost feels like a cross between Throne of Ahaz and early Bethlehem. There are occasional bursts of speed and some use of tremolo riffs, though these are often used to accentuate the main power chords rather than dominate the sound. The feeling is also somewhat reminiscent of the more bleak moments from the first Ophthalamia album.
Keyboards and clean guitars appear throughout the album, but never become the focal point. Instead, they are used to accentuate the atmosphere. The solo work adds much life to the music, so to speak. Some of the leads are introspective and thought-provoking, while others lend an epic feeling to the songs. One particular solo near the end of "Through Rivers of the Eternal Blackness" feels instantly familiar. Then it becomes clear that the final riff was lifted directly from the ending of Metallica's "Fade to Black". The band loses points for this thievery, but it still works well within this context.
For Snow Covered the Northland is an ambitious work, containing nearly 60 minutes of music. For the most part, the minimalist approach is effective, creating something majestic and epic while being dismal and somewhat painful to hear. Not all of the material is equally strong, however. Some later passages lack the atmosphere crafted by the earlier songs, and there are a few riffs that don't seem to fit in. Perhaps the album should have ended with the last instrumental. What you'll find here is something absolutely miserable and yet beautiful in its own dark way. It's strange that this album seems to be so unknown. Seek this out, if at all possible.
This isn't terribly far removed from some of the stuff that Throne of Ahaz was doing, just a little more slow and melodic. At times, it almost feels like a cross between Throne of Ahaz and early Bethlehem. There are occasional bursts of speed and some use of tremolo riffs, though these are often used to accentuate the main power chords rather than dominate the sound. The feeling is also somewhat reminiscent of the more bleak moments from the first Ophthalamia album.
Keyboards and clean guitars appear throughout the album, but never become the focal point. Instead, they are used to accentuate the atmosphere. The solo work adds much life to the music, so to speak. Some of the leads are introspective and thought-provoking, while others lend an epic feeling to the songs. One particular solo near the end of "Through Rivers of the Eternal Blackness" feels instantly familiar. Then it becomes clear that the final riff was lifted directly from the ending of Metallica's "Fade to Black". The band loses points for this thievery, but it still works well within this context.
For Snow Covered the Northland is an ambitious work, containing nearly 60 minutes of music. For the most part, the minimalist approach is effective, creating something majestic and epic while being dismal and somewhat painful to hear. Not all of the material is equally strong, however. Some later passages lack the atmosphere crafted by the earlier songs, and there are a few riffs that don't seem to fit in. Perhaps the album should have ended with the last instrumental. What you'll find here is something absolutely miserable and yet beautiful in its own dark way. It's strange that this album seems to be so unknown. Seek this out, if at all possible.
(2 Feb. 2010)
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