Album Review: Ofermod – Drakosophia
Band: Ofermod
Album: Drakosophia
Label: Shadow Records
Release date: October 3rd 2025
Country: Sweden
Format reviewed: High quality digital recording
Album Review: Ofermod – Drakosophia via Shadow Records by Ioana
I will state right off the bat, do not expect me to be normal about this album. And this is also probably going to be the first review I ever do where I actually talk about the production properly. Nevertheless you have been warned, proceed with caution… or not. I suck at giving advice anyway (I just discredited my whole work for this zine… great job…).
Ofermod. Talk about names that ring five bells when you hear them. If you wish to talk about Sweden’s finest exports, you cannot exclude Ofermod without making yourself guilty of sacrilege, simply put, and their latest work, Drakosophia is the final nail in the coffin of said statement. Now that I am done with the all too over the top introduction, I guess it is finally time to actually go into the music itself, and of course, for me to stop wasting your time ( business as usual..).
The first aspect of this record that stuck out to me is, of course, the aforementioned production. Needless to say, to my ears, it doesn’t just fit like a glove for the music itself, but it also calls back to some incredible musical memories, since it is the work of none other than Devo Andersson. I swear, every album this man touches ends up sounding incredible… The production is made in what I can describe as his signature style, every note, every hit, every growl is audibly sharp, teeming with power, simply put, but it is not “clean” in a typical way. It is crisp, but not polished, it highlights the violence of the music perfectly. But again, this is most likely nothing new to be hearing, I am definitely not the first to say it, that’s certain.
It is also worth noting that the lineup of this record is nothing short of legendary. There is Belfagor, of course, on guitar, Adeptus joining on vocal duties for the first time, and trust me when I say this man has a voice that could shake the Earth, Devo on bass and Flo Musil of Theotoxin on drums… you can’t really go better than that and it shows. Just look at the title track for example, that song is nothing short of poisonous. The chaotic rhythm during the chorus amplifies that dense ritualistic atmosphere to the point where it comes off a little waltz-y, a little unhinged, but definitely not forgettable. I also like the way the phrasing and delivery of the lyrics perfectly follows the rhythmical patterns to the point where they feel as if they were in symbiosis. If I were to recommend any piece to those looking to first get a taste of the album, “Drakosophia” would be it, simply because it has it all: oppressive mood, top notch songwriting and, of course, a delivery to match the greatness.
Given that I brought up the atmosphere of the album, I might as well delve into that now, because it is also incredibly unique in several regards. As previously stated, the overall mood invoked by the album is profoundly ritualistic, even oppressive to an extent, with occasional hints of what I can describe as… possession induced lunacy, perhaps? In any case, it makes it obviously clear that Drakosophia is not here to be described as an easy listen. A striking one? Yes. An easy one? Never in a million years. Take track no. 4, “Malat Atat”, for example. Everything happening here is turned up to a hundred to a point where you edge between being able to hear your thoughts and complete emptiness. Pair that with the slightly demented chanting going off in the background of the composition, that appears to be in some sort of dialogue with the main vocal performance, and you’re set for some serious chills running down your spine. Simply put, this album, as is the case for all releases in Ofermod’s catalogue, it thrives on these sinister moods. The main culprit? The riffing. Give all credit that is due to the vocal performance, but the riffing on this album is nothing short of bone chilling. Straightforward, but not really. Dissonant, but only just enough to make you uncomfortable. Thus, Drakosophia ends up in the uncanny valley of guitar work, and I’m here for it.
Style wise, I cannot help but feel like this album marks the beginning of something really interesting for Ofermod. Not an expert conclusion, as I greatly need to revisit their older material, but there’s something about this whole album that makes me feel there’s definitely more sinister happenings to come from this project in the future. I mean, as far as I am aware, that chanting I was describing… speaks of a future nothing short of promising. And no questions asked, the potential of Adeptus as a frontman is nothing short of staggering. I cannot even imagine what other monsters will show up as a result of his collaboration with Belfagor, but for now, let’s all just soak in this album.
To close it off, it is needless to say that I have no criticism towards this record, it was right up my alley, so to say. Nevertheless, I may have happened to go mad, or at least completely biased, and in that case, I once again urge you to listen to this record yourselves. And this time I say with full certainty: it is worth every second. 10/10
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10/10 Immortal Classic
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