Review: Svartidauði “Revelations of the Red Sword” [Ván Records]

Review: Svartidauði “Revelations of the Red Sword” [Ván Records]

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Since Icelandic Black Metal band Svartidauði introduced Flesh Cathedral to us back in 2012, fans have grasped their music with willing hearts. Meanwhile, the guys of Svartidauði have got their heads down with work, releasing several other works that have satiated appetites. The Synthesis of Whore and Beast in 2014 and Depleted Pathways in 2017 are two recommended highlights.

Flesh Cathedral was released on December 3rd 2012 and so it’s interesting that Svartidauði release Revelations Of The Red Sword – their second full length album on the same date 6 years later. A track for every year perhaps?

Like I said, 6 tracks and a running time of 47 minutes, Revelations Of The Red Sword shall henceforth be considered a slab of darkness that has been duty bound for years (6 of them).

From the outset, this album feels denser than their other work. More layers on top a larger wall of sound. Add to that more complex motifs from the guitar.

I see The Howling of Cynocephali as where the album warms up and takes off. Now Revelations Of The Red Sword comes alive with the swagger we expect. You may have been scratching your head during the first 12 minutes. I was and I continued to for a while before realising that this is an album of two halves that make more than a whole. This is a deep grower of an album, one so complex musically that it may take a year or two to fully understand it. Therein lies the beauty, this is esotericism made music – this is Revelations Of The Red Sword by Svartidauði.

The final 11 minute monster of a track, “Aureum Lux” has an extremely hypnotic feel, jangled arpeggio riffs and of course dissonance aplenty.

The artwork was handled by David Glomba and as with any artist worth their salt, I suggest you look a little deeper into his work.

Some really good news for us fans… Live shows to come are as follows: December 1st, JUZ Explosiv, Graz Austria. December 14th Columbia Theater, Berlin Germany. March 6th – 9th 2019 @Alter 210 & Magasin 4, Brussels, Belgium.  May 16th 2019 Gaukurinn, Reykjavik, Iceland. August 21st 2019, USF Verflet, Bergen, Norway.

You can find Revelations Of The Red Sword streaming in full over on Bandcamp and I wholeheartedly encourage you to purchase.

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Score 80%
Summary
80 %
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