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Spectres Over Gorgoroth (1989)
The first release under the Isengard name had nothing to do with the Viking metal that the project is most known for. The 1989 Spectres Over Gorgoroth demo is pure death metal, not far removed from what Darkthrone was doing at the time. For one reason or another, Fenriz wanted to branch out and do something entirely on his own and the result was vastly superior to any of the demos recorded by his main band.
This is purely a solo effort as Fenriz handles all of the instruments and vocals. His voice demonstrates a bit of range, going from deeper death metal growls to raspier screams. The music owes a lot to late '80s death metal bands such as Death, Autopsy and Necrophagia. Though the songs are quite short, the riffs are very memorable and possess a sinister feeling. The sound is very primitive and raw, as it should be, having been recorded on a 4-track. The final track, "Trollwandering", is much slower and hearkens back to the doom metal of old Candlemass. The atmosphere is very dark and this is a fitting way to end things.
Spectres Over Gorgoroth is a very interesting and enjoyable demo, though one might wonder why such strong material was left to languish in relative obscurity. Had it not been for the fact that Fenriz resurrected the Isengard name for his later solo offerings (which resulted in this being included on the Vinterskugge disc), this recording might have remained relatively unknown and harder to access. The only complaint I have about this is that it's over too soon, as I could listen to this kind of stuff for the duration of a full-length.
This is purely a solo effort as Fenriz handles all of the instruments and vocals. His voice demonstrates a bit of range, going from deeper death metal growls to raspier screams. The music owes a lot to late '80s death metal bands such as Death, Autopsy and Necrophagia. Though the songs are quite short, the riffs are very memorable and possess a sinister feeling. The sound is very primitive and raw, as it should be, having been recorded on a 4-track. The final track, "Trollwandering", is much slower and hearkens back to the doom metal of old Candlemass. The atmosphere is very dark and this is a fitting way to end things.
Spectres Over Gorgoroth is a very interesting and enjoyable demo, though one might wonder why such strong material was left to languish in relative obscurity. Had it not been for the fact that Fenriz resurrected the Isengard name for his later solo offerings (which resulted in this being included on the Vinterskugge disc), this recording might have remained relatively unknown and harder to access. The only complaint I have about this is that it's over too soon, as I could listen to this kind of stuff for the duration of a full-length.
(25 Jan. 2009)
Vinterskugge (1994)
Vinterskugge is often cited as the first full-length from Isengard, a solo project of Darkthrone's Fenriz. However, this is more accurately described as a compilation, one that includes three drastically different demos. These recordings have nothing to do with one another beyond being created by the same guy and released under the same name. I remember hearing something about a Fenriz side project but never put much thought into it. Some years later, while in either Oslo or Bergen I saw this in a record store and the cover caught my attention right away. I realized what it was and eagerly grabbed it. I was expecting something like Burzum, for one reason or another, and recall being a bit disappointed upon first listen as this was something completely different. It took several listens for the stuff to grow on me and I'm quite glad that I gave it a chance.
In 1993, Fenriz had some time on his hands and borrowed a portable 4-track recorder to work on some material, alone. This is what would become the Vandreren demo. The low-fi sound is very similar to Transilvanian Hunger and in fact he recorded that classic album right after. As opposed to the minimalist black metal of that album, this demo is fairly eclectic but is mostly known for the Viking metal songs like the opener "Vinterskugge". One can really feel the Viking-era Bathory influence here, though Fenriz has a much more powerful voice. This is one of the best tracks that he made in this style. Strangely, there is only one other song like this on the album, even though the impression most have of Isengard is based on this sound. "Naglfar" is not nearly as good and includes too many horn effect from the synthesizer he was playing with at the time, reminiscent of the first Enslaved album. It's not a bad song but it's clear why it didn't wasn't at the beginning of Vinterskugge. The similarities to Burzum that I'd naively hoped for when I first picked this up are actually quite evident on the instrumental tracks. "In the Halls and Chambers of Stardust - The Crystallic Heavens Open" is a very poignant piece akin to "Han som reiste" from Det som engang var. "Gjennom skogen til blåfjellene" is not so unlike "The Crying Orc", though much longer. The haunting guitar melodies create an atmosphere that is very dark and melancholic. "Dommedagssalme" is another track that is drenched in pitch black gloom, this time in the form of an old school doom metal opus reminscent of Pentagram. The vocal range displayed by Fenriz on these songs is really something.
The only song that has any noticeable connection to either the '89 demo, or to Darkthrone, is "Ut i vannets dyp hvor mørket hviler". It starts out with pure black metal riffs, the same kind of tremolo melodies that are found on Transilvanian Hunger, with Fenriz utilizing a very raspy vocal style. However, this song is much more dynamic and features more tempo changes than anything on that record. There are traces of death metal in some of the riffs, but everything flows seamlessly instead of certain riffs standing out like a sore thumb as on A Blaze in the Northern Sky.
As for "Fanden lokker til stupet (nytrad)", this is a worthless track that is far too upbeat and does not fit in with the rest of the material. It is not quite as bad as similar songs on the following album, but unnecessary either way.
Following this is Spectres Over Gorgoroth from 1989 and the 1991 Horizons demo. The latter opens with the slow and crushingly doom-filled song, "The Fog". It almost reminds one of what Beherit would do a couple years later on Drawing Down the Moon. The sound is just nasty as hell and dripping with evil. Too bad that he didn't make more songs in this style. Sadly, this is contrasted by the goth rock song "Storm of Evil". He does it well but this is not what most people really want to hear from Fenriz. To make matters worse, it's the longest track on the whole compilation. At any rate, things get back on course with another synth piece, "Bergtrollets gravferd". This one is very dreary if not a little monotonous. The whole thing ends with "Our Lord Will Come", another epic doom metal song that is heavily influenced by Pentagram. Again, this is not necessarily what I want to hear from this guy but he does it well.
Vinterskugge is a great collection of tunes that cover a wide range of styles and yet, for the most part, maintain a sombre atmosphere throughout. Fenriz is an exceptionally talented musician and it's great that he captured this stuff on tape though it is also easy to see how he got so burned out a short time later. This is definitely recommended listening for fans of black, death, doom and Viking metal as there is a bit of everything here.
In 1993, Fenriz had some time on his hands and borrowed a portable 4-track recorder to work on some material, alone. This is what would become the Vandreren demo. The low-fi sound is very similar to Transilvanian Hunger and in fact he recorded that classic album right after. As opposed to the minimalist black metal of that album, this demo is fairly eclectic but is mostly known for the Viking metal songs like the opener "Vinterskugge". One can really feel the Viking-era Bathory influence here, though Fenriz has a much more powerful voice. This is one of the best tracks that he made in this style. Strangely, there is only one other song like this on the album, even though the impression most have of Isengard is based on this sound. "Naglfar" is not nearly as good and includes too many horn effect from the synthesizer he was playing with at the time, reminiscent of the first Enslaved album. It's not a bad song but it's clear why it didn't wasn't at the beginning of Vinterskugge. The similarities to Burzum that I'd naively hoped for when I first picked this up are actually quite evident on the instrumental tracks. "In the Halls and Chambers of Stardust - The Crystallic Heavens Open" is a very poignant piece akin to "Han som reiste" from Det som engang var. "Gjennom skogen til blåfjellene" is not so unlike "The Crying Orc", though much longer. The haunting guitar melodies create an atmosphere that is very dark and melancholic. "Dommedagssalme" is another track that is drenched in pitch black gloom, this time in the form of an old school doom metal opus reminscent of Pentagram. The vocal range displayed by Fenriz on these songs is really something.
The only song that has any noticeable connection to either the '89 demo, or to Darkthrone, is "Ut i vannets dyp hvor mørket hviler". It starts out with pure black metal riffs, the same kind of tremolo melodies that are found on Transilvanian Hunger, with Fenriz utilizing a very raspy vocal style. However, this song is much more dynamic and features more tempo changes than anything on that record. There are traces of death metal in some of the riffs, but everything flows seamlessly instead of certain riffs standing out like a sore thumb as on A Blaze in the Northern Sky.
As for "Fanden lokker til stupet (nytrad)", this is a worthless track that is far too upbeat and does not fit in with the rest of the material. It is not quite as bad as similar songs on the following album, but unnecessary either way.
Following this is Spectres Over Gorgoroth from 1989 and the 1991 Horizons demo. The latter opens with the slow and crushingly doom-filled song, "The Fog". It almost reminds one of what Beherit would do a couple years later on Drawing Down the Moon. The sound is just nasty as hell and dripping with evil. Too bad that he didn't make more songs in this style. Sadly, this is contrasted by the goth rock song "Storm of Evil". He does it well but this is not what most people really want to hear from Fenriz. To make matters worse, it's the longest track on the whole compilation. At any rate, things get back on course with another synth piece, "Bergtrollets gravferd". This one is very dreary if not a little monotonous. The whole thing ends with "Our Lord Will Come", another epic doom metal song that is heavily influenced by Pentagram. Again, this is not necessarily what I want to hear from this guy but he does it well.
Vinterskugge is a great collection of tunes that cover a wide range of styles and yet, for the most part, maintain a sombre atmosphere throughout. Fenriz is an exceptionally talented musician and it's great that he captured this stuff on tape though it is also easy to see how he got so burned out a short time later. This is definitely recommended listening for fans of black, death, doom and Viking metal as there is a bit of everything here.
(25 Jan. 2009)
Høstmørke (1995)
1995 was a very busy time for Fenriz. In a very short span of time albums were released from Darkthrone, Storm, Neptune Towers, Dødheimsgard and his Viking/black metal side-project, Isengard. Some would say that he was spreading himself a bit too thin but the effects of this would not be seen until the following year. As for Høstmørke, Fenriz managed to deliver exactly what fans of the Vandreren demo were looking for.
Musically, there are a few different styles on here but it's less varied than Vinterskugge. Almost everything works together to form a rather cohesive whole. Tracks like "Neslepaks", "I kamp med kvitekrist" and the mighty "Over de syngende øde moer" show a strong influence from Bathory's Viking era, though some people call Isengard a 'folk metal' project. The two interludes, "Landet og havet" and "I ei gran borti nordre Åsen", seem to possess more of a folkish feel and are the worst parts of this album. The majority of this record would be best described as Viking or black metal. The latter is exemplified by the incredible "Thornspawn Chalice", which might be the final masterpiece from the mind of Fenriz.
Høstmørke was recorded on Necrohell Studio around the same time as Panzerfaust, entirely by Fenriz. Only in a couple spots did the guys from Dødheimsgard add a scream here or there. With the Viking metal tracks, Fenriz utilizes the same sort of clean vocals as on the first chapter of Vinterskugge. Much like Quorthon, his voice is somewhat unconventional, yet filled with authentic and true feeling. The manner in which he sings really suits the rawness of the production as well. There is a real sense of conviction in his voice, especially prevalent on "Over de syngende øde moer", which is probably the very best song that he ever made in this style. There is a melancholic feeling conveyed here, like a weary war march for the condemned. It is easy to get swept away by this song, lost in its haunting atmosphere.
With so much Bathory influence throughout this album, one has to wonder how it would have sounded if Fenriz had used this material for a Darkthrone album. Surely, Nocturno Culto's voice would have sounded good the final two songs. Some of this material definitely would not have been too out of place on Panzerfaust. However, Høstmørke peaks with "Thornspawn Chalice", which is an epic and intense black metal song wherein Fenriz utilizes extremely harsh vocals. Perhaps possessed by the same evil entity that once took hold of the likes of Quorthon and Dead, his voice sounds utterly tortured and inhuman. The lyrics seem to have been written long before this album was recorded, as they bear many similarities to those from the early period of Darkthrone. The mid-paced riffs are pure Bathory worship, but the song suddenly shifts to a faster pace with brilliant tremolo melodies that are among the finest that Fenriz ever created. The overall sound is as ugly and raw as that found on Panzerfaust. As the song continues, the feeling of intensity increases to a near fever-pitch. This is the longest track on Høstmørke, as well as one of only two with English lyrics. The clean vocals mixed with the harsh ones, near the end of the song, creates a brilliant effect that one must simply experience to understand.
The final song on the album, "Total Death", is a mix of black and thrash metal, somewhat reminiscent of Aura Noir. Its placement at the end of the album makes sense in a way as it really wouldn't fit in anywhere else, and yet it is almost a bit of a letdown, coming after two monumental classics in a row. This one really could have been saved for the following Darkthrone album (also titled Total Death).
Høstmørke is a great album on which Fenriz managed to perfect his Viking metal sound, while still unleashing his final black metal masterpiece as well. Fans of Bathory (particularly the Viking-era stuff) and Darkthrone should certainly give this a listen. While owing quite a bit to Quorthon, at times, Isengard still manages to have a fairly unique style and I would be hard-pressed to come up with anything else that sounds remotely like this. This is highly recommended and "Over de syngende øde moer", in particular, would make a nice soundtrack for the combined forces of Europa to fight back the Saracen scum and to rid our lands of this filth once and for all!
Musically, there are a few different styles on here but it's less varied than Vinterskugge. Almost everything works together to form a rather cohesive whole. Tracks like "Neslepaks", "I kamp med kvitekrist" and the mighty "Over de syngende øde moer" show a strong influence from Bathory's Viking era, though some people call Isengard a 'folk metal' project. The two interludes, "Landet og havet" and "I ei gran borti nordre Åsen", seem to possess more of a folkish feel and are the worst parts of this album. The majority of this record would be best described as Viking or black metal. The latter is exemplified by the incredible "Thornspawn Chalice", which might be the final masterpiece from the mind of Fenriz.
Høstmørke was recorded on Necrohell Studio around the same time as Panzerfaust, entirely by Fenriz. Only in a couple spots did the guys from Dødheimsgard add a scream here or there. With the Viking metal tracks, Fenriz utilizes the same sort of clean vocals as on the first chapter of Vinterskugge. Much like Quorthon, his voice is somewhat unconventional, yet filled with authentic and true feeling. The manner in which he sings really suits the rawness of the production as well. There is a real sense of conviction in his voice, especially prevalent on "Over de syngende øde moer", which is probably the very best song that he ever made in this style. There is a melancholic feeling conveyed here, like a weary war march for the condemned. It is easy to get swept away by this song, lost in its haunting atmosphere.
With so much Bathory influence throughout this album, one has to wonder how it would have sounded if Fenriz had used this material for a Darkthrone album. Surely, Nocturno Culto's voice would have sounded good the final two songs. Some of this material definitely would not have been too out of place on Panzerfaust. However, Høstmørke peaks with "Thornspawn Chalice", which is an epic and intense black metal song wherein Fenriz utilizes extremely harsh vocals. Perhaps possessed by the same evil entity that once took hold of the likes of Quorthon and Dead, his voice sounds utterly tortured and inhuman. The lyrics seem to have been written long before this album was recorded, as they bear many similarities to those from the early period of Darkthrone. The mid-paced riffs are pure Bathory worship, but the song suddenly shifts to a faster pace with brilliant tremolo melodies that are among the finest that Fenriz ever created. The overall sound is as ugly and raw as that found on Panzerfaust. As the song continues, the feeling of intensity increases to a near fever-pitch. This is the longest track on Høstmørke, as well as one of only two with English lyrics. The clean vocals mixed with the harsh ones, near the end of the song, creates a brilliant effect that one must simply experience to understand.
The final song on the album, "Total Death", is a mix of black and thrash metal, somewhat reminiscent of Aura Noir. Its placement at the end of the album makes sense in a way as it really wouldn't fit in anywhere else, and yet it is almost a bit of a letdown, coming after two monumental classics in a row. This one really could have been saved for the following Darkthrone album (also titled Total Death).
Høstmørke is a great album on which Fenriz managed to perfect his Viking metal sound, while still unleashing his final black metal masterpiece as well. Fans of Bathory (particularly the Viking-era stuff) and Darkthrone should certainly give this a listen. While owing quite a bit to Quorthon, at times, Isengard still manages to have a fairly unique style and I would be hard-pressed to come up with anything else that sounds remotely like this. This is highly recommended and "Over de syngende øde moer", in particular, would make a nice soundtrack for the combined forces of Europa to fight back the Saracen scum and to rid our lands of this filth once and for all!
(3 Sept. 2009)
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