Lykantrop – Ve

Lykantrop is a Norwegian Black Metal duet, one that was founded some time last year. As far as I can tell, Ve marks both the first release of the band as well as their first ever full-length release.

By the bands own admission, Lykantrop is, to some extent, influenced by the early era Darkthrone (something that is also clearly evident throughout the music) – However, at the same time they admit that Lykantrop is meant as far more than just that. The end result would seem to be to return to the Second Wave Black Metal roots and create a throwback album, in the vein of the masters of the nineties.

Overall I would say that the two musicians have succeeded – Ve contains nine tracks, all of which are performed in their native Norwegian, racking up a decent forty-one minutes of relentless, heavily distorted Black Metal, not unlike what I would expect to hear back in the day.

Where the band differs from the likes of Mayhem, is in the lack of ‘a wall of sound’, for the lack of a better term. Both Mayhem and Emperor (as well as several others) managed to almost drown the listener in a never-ending onslaught of melodies and heavy growls. Lykantrop has turned it down a notch, instead allowing every syllable and every rhythm and melody take up more space in the overall sound present upon Ve. Which is, to be fair, much in tune with the sound of more modern Black Metal bands. An interesting mix, as well as a very logical step to take. Time moves on after all, and that bodes several changes, even in music.

Ve is, to me at least, a very decent album, an exellent homage to their genre predecessors and kinsmen that helped shape what Black Metal is today, while at the same time incorporate enough of the modern day to keep it fresh. Definitely a band that I would expect to hear more from in the future, considering that they are off to a good start. And, as a sort of documentation for the bands prowess, below can be found the second track from the album, entitled ”Nattens Ravner”; Which translates into ‘Ravens of the Night’.

Recommended for fans of Darkthrone and Darkenhöld.

www.facebook.com/LykantropOffisiell