D
Dødheimsgard started as a standard black metal outfit (1996’s Monumental Possession stands out), then threw fans a major curve ball with 1999’s 666 International. The album was, frankly, a friggin’ mess. Blastbeats and industrial hip hop and classical piano interludes made for an occasionally interesting but wildly scattershot listen. A name contraction in 2000 to DHG was probably warranted, but created further brand confusion.
The Snuff Dreams Are Made ofGhostforce Soul Constrictor
Years have passed, and the time off has evidently done good for the band. Supervillain Outcast (Moonfog, 2007) is much more coherent than its predecessor, pulling back slightly on experimentation while returning to the band’s black metal roots. The production is also much more sophisticated now. Thus, surprises like the strange horn samples in “The Snuff Dreams Are Made Of” or the wacky techno noises in “Ghostforce Soul Constrictor” actually work this time.
Ephel Duath comes to mind, not in complexity, but in menacing emotional detachment, if that makes any sense. Mr. Bungle gone black metal (which would be Ephel Duath’s first album, actually) is also another possible reference point. I’m not sure what this album says, if it’s saying anything; then again, I’m not sure if Mr. Bungle ever said anything, and they were similarly fascinating.
The mix is a bit clean and light for me (Abigor’s recent Fractal Possession has similar sound); for industrial black metal, I prefer more dirt and malice a la Anaal Nathrakh. But while this record doesn’t really hit me viscerally, it’s satisfying cerebrally, offering lots of layers and details. Of note is the band’s stunning MySpace, designed by Justin Bartlett. It’s near impossible to make a MySpace page look good, but Bartlett has done it. Supervillain Outcast is available from Moonfog in Europe and The End in the US.
