SKALD - TROLSKA VEMODSBAND
Mom, STILL Vikings in my Bedroom! - 30%
Written by Sean16 on November 22nd, 2009

Remember Skald's first demo? Wait, you probably don't. Skald is a Swedish Viking metal band which on its myspace page currently offers its two demos to download for free in the same time it more or less discards them as early, amateurish works (even if not in so blunt terms). As for the listener, he can only agree.

Granted, the second one, Trolska Vemodsband, is better than the first, Sagor från skogstjärnen... We're at a point this isn't saying much. However, take this opening track exclusively consisting in acoustic guitars for instance, for the first time it seems we're going somewhere. There are genuine feelings, some sort of romantic melancholy in this slow redundant melody. The problems begin when you realise this track, a mere instrumental intro, is indeed the best track... the rest doesn't indeed sound very different from the previous demo. This particularly annoying jew's harp is still present, even if fortunately it's now mixed a tad lower. The production is slightly better, the guitars for instance being overall more audible, however again as there's nothing interesting to hear the sound is of a minor concern, really.

The riffs are all over-primitive, indeed most of time I'd barely dare mentioning riffs, as a guy randomly hitting his electric guitar from time to time would work as a much more accurate description – the fourth song Lindormen may mark a clear progress to this respect, but that's still babysteps we're talking about. As already noticed the only sparks of light come from the occasional acoustic guitars, as on the otherwise disposable I Vildmarkens Majestät for instance. Further while the drumming lines are all elementary and thus devoid of any interest the drums don't particularly strike as programmed, even if they probably are. Coming to the vocals those will be the biggest concern though, as if some progress has been made concerning the grunts which while still pretty bad no longer sound as ridicule and forced as before, the clean vocals the majority of the work consists in don't show any sign of a potential amelioration. No, the guy IS drunk, it wouldn't be possible otherwise. Is this extremely affected way of emphasizing every word what you call a folk voice? Is this grandiloquent chanting supposed to sound epic? Is the fact this neverending half-spoken litany appears devoid of any clear structure voluntary, or is it simply due to you not being able to follow any pre-determined vocal line?

I'd have some scruples charging these guys too much, as again they showed some touching honesty first in the way they recorded their demos – you can feel there's indeed been some genuine sweat invested here, unfortunately in vain – and later in the way they evaluated them at their true value. Alas, compassion alone isn't a tool powerful enough to find anything really worth rewarding in these twenty-two hesitant minutes.

Highlights: Vemod, Lindormen

ORIGINAL LINK HERE