Glemsel 🇩🇰 Forfader
Band: Glemsel
Title: Forfader
Label: Vendetta Records
Release Date: 18 March 2022
Country: Denmark
Format Reviewed: High-quality digital recording
What a happy metal surprise I received when I choose to listen to Glemsel. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate hearing something like this, this combination of black metal ferocious sound and equally beautiful melancholic tones. To me, it represents the many moods of black metal, both fierce, slamming riffs, insatiable drums, blasting, to somber, introspective perusal of self through music that let’s your mind find ease.
Glemsel hail from Denmark and formed together in 2019. Their first EP released in 2020, “Unavngivet”, received many accolades and acclaim for the talents and sound produced, and following that was a demo of that same year. Now, we have their debut album “Forfader” which is the Danish word for ancestor.
To introduce you to the band: Mikkel Alkjaer, bass, Joachim Hojer, drums, Sune Pedersen, guitar/backing vocal, and Asmund Iversen, guitar and lead vocal. These four individuals have combined their talents together on six tracks, to bring something that is memorable and lasting.
To begin with “Arv” (Danish word meaning: inheritance), as the sound of peaceful water flowing, and a piano. Mournful notes here and silence of echoes fading. Next, is “Mod Afgrund” (Danish words meaning: against the abyss), continues with that flowing water, but that soon edges out in the face and ferocity of riffs raining down hard, and drums that punctuate to those speed riffs. The vocal is gritty and guttural sounding with extended screams that serve to lead you into the straight up mastery of guitars and drums. This track picks up speed and volume of complex guitar/drum combinations. Strikes me as cold, chilling, and full of feeling.
You really hear the commitment to completing a passage, the drums, guitars and that deadly vocal all coming together to explode in such coldness and rage.
Now, “Savn” (Danish word meaning: miss), showing us a drum solo with cymbals to start and wow, the wall of sound guitar that plays to those cymbals. A layering begins, of the cymbals, and guitar to add more dimension, with the vocals sounding echoey and grim. Leave no doubt, to the coldness being brought here, it literally is so chilling and then, the melancholy comes bleeding through, the sadness and hopelessness adding depth and more dimension.
Following is “Moentens Praedikant (Danish words meaning: mortons preacher), this one is a riff monster, drum striking, whole encompassing fierce display. Then, the next is “Det Gamle Ma Vige” (Danish words meaning: the old must give way), begins in a portentous gong affect to an ear blistering guttural vocal. The screams are extended and the instruments are charged up and ready to feed off of that. Literally a barrage of punishing riffs and nonstop drums. The beauty of mourning comes in towards the close of the track, in a change up and slow down, to a last dunking into the brutal, fierce slam and finally an acoustic guitar fading off.
Again I say, the cold, wintry feeling combined with fury is felt in this album. Brutally majestic, (to my ears).
Finally, “Ansigterne”, (Danish words meaning: the faces), and we are back to the melancholy, and slowing down of the brutish speeds to start. Guitars are heavy, weighty, and keep the overall doomy tone. Tremolo guitar, and that heavy dark tone impermiates all, with the guttural, vocal to round up things as it continues in this track. This track is a study of a dark, grimy mood.
In 2021 Glemsel were listed on Heavy Metal DK’s radar as “Danish Hope of the Year”. From listening to their work, and energies presented I can certainly see why. 8/10 Metal Marie
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