AVSKRADE
Undergang

In December 2021, AVSKRÄDE emerged from storms of old with their debut full-length for PURITY THROUGH FIRE, Det stora tunga sjuka. Hailing from Sweden, the duo dutifully reinvigorated ancient Scandinavian black metal, both from Norway as well as their native land. No more but definitely no less, Det stora tunga sjuka was traditional BLACK METAL Exclusively: pure freezing fire, nasty and rustic and primitive but not without nuance.

And so it goes, a full two years later, with AVSKRÄDE's Undergång. Whereas the duo's debut reminded of Darkthrone's "Peaceville trilogy" and Malicious-era Gorgoroth, here on their second album do they kick up the nastiness and let the (freezing) filth flow freely, nodding to such underrated Darkthrone tomes as Total Death or even Ravishing Grimness. Indeed is AVSKRÄDE's grimness ravishing across Undergång, but compared to successive disciples as early Craft and Armagedda, the duo incorporate a slight bit more melody into proceedings - at times haunting, others anxious, but always hammered with cruel efficiency. And if there's one phrase to characterize AVSKRÄDE at this point, it's "cruelly efficient"; their songwriting is stripped to the fucking bone, but every note and hit is fucking RIGHT, and their live-in-the-rehearsal-room execution is blanching in its tightness. And once again, the album maintains a richly Grieghallen-esque production for maximum authenticity. Winter is looming, so hasten its arrival with Undergång!