Nahvalr - Nahvalr (2008)

To start off with, I'm not a Black Metal enthusiast by any stretch of the imagination. I don't know all the bands, and I couldn't tell you what "true" black metal is. I do, however, know a little about the genre, about the various murders and crimes associated with the Norwegian scene, and about some of the main people involved, etc. I have a few friends, one in particular, who have shown me everything I know, only within the last few months. From what little I do know I can say this, some black metal is lame, much like the mindset of many of the most hardcore fans, but aside from all the ritualistic bullshit and uptight elitist know-it-all hogwash, there is some really fucking incredible music out there. And the best part is, you don't have to burn down a church or murder yr best friend to enjoy it! I don't know if this would fall, technically, into the black metal circle of life but that's where I'd put it. It's dark as hell, and full of sound. Droney guitars, blasting noise, it even opens with "sounds from Hell" for Christ sake! As a bit of a side note, this is made by the same dudes responsible for Have A Nice Life, though the two are completely different projects. So without trying to sound like I have any idea what I'm talking about when it comes to black metal, I'll just say that if you like things loud, heavy, atmospheric, or just really fucking cool, then do yourself a favour and get this album! It's completely rad! P.S. If yr a hardcore Black Metal dude, please don't kill me.

"Nahvalr, described by its founders as “open source black metal”, is nothing less than a landmark in originality. Dan Barrett and Tim Macuga from Connecticut’s equally brilliant Have a Nice Life have taken submitted noises, samples and instrumentals from across the web and melded them together into 8 terrifying movements that shift between ambient, doom, drone and black metal styles. These impenetrable walls of sound are as compelling as they are suffocating, rich with grotesque detail and atmosphere. While numerous dark ambient acts have touched on the same blackened corner stones as Nahvalr, both the innovative creative process and the density of this album is remarkable.

The idea of having many so disparate sounds compiled may seem daunting, even counter productive in the creation of music, Nahvalr moves far beyond mere bursts of noise and finds a common, sinister and even spiritual thread that runs through their collections. Their compositions, whether they are cavernous, bass-driven processions (”Blood Flood”) or ghostly, free-floating ambiance (”Swallower of Bile”) are given ample room to stretch out and breathe, uncovering a powerful emotional center in each.

Music this experimental, haunting and visceral demonstrates the often neglected potential the Internet has for collaborative projects. It may be overlong in some segments, but the dark energy within Nahvalr is impossible to ignore and shake off, making it a masterpiece of devastatingly bleak reflection. I can only hope that projects like Nahvalr, with all their promise and dynamism, will continue to take shape and flourish in our digital culture." - The Rock Blogger

Also: An awesome review where they compare this to Burzum

TRACK LIST:
1. Chorus of the Blasphemes
2. Blood Flood
3. There Isn't Anything
4. Objectivity
5. Swallower of Bile
6. The Witch Box
7. Let Them Eat Blood
8. Black Elk Speaks, Chokes, and Dies

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