Amarok

I'm not a huge fan of compilations. Usually, they're released by the record labels as a "cash grab" in order to make money for songs that have already been released on other recordings. Nargaroth's "Amarok" is a compilation released by No Colours records in 2000, is made up of songs from the band's previous releases. These songs, however, differ quite a bit from the original versions, and there are two brand new tracks as well. This is an example of a compilation that is actually worth the money.

"Herbstleyd" is the first song on the disc. Unlike the version on the previous album of the same name, this song does not contain the massively long 8 minute folk introduction. This song begins right away with a somber melody and the amazing synth flute in the background. I prefer the version on the full-length, as this one loses some of its original atmosphere with the omission of that intro. Still, this is probably the best song on the album. A topic that brings great controversy to the Nargaroth name is the cover of "Black Spell of Destruction" originally by Burzum. The cover follows in the exact same vein musically, but the guitar tone is very off-putting for me. It sounds lower and much deeper, which doesn't fit the atmosphere of the original. In fact, most of the guitars on this album sound fairly low and, of course, muddy. But the low tone doesn't really sound fitting most of the time, and is one of the album's pitfalls. This might be attributed to the increase of bass in the mix, which isn't too common in black metal.

Kanwulf's vocals are standard Nargaroth. They sound absolutely menacing and hateful, and are a trademark in his music. From his shrieks in "Herbstleyd" to the wolfish howling in "Black Spell of Destruction", there is a bit of variation to be heard. The lyrics are for the most part English, with the songs "Herbstleyd" and "Amarok - Zorn Des Lammes" being the two German songs on the album. For the most part, Kanwulf is incomprehensible. However, notably on the song "Shall We Begin", we hear a humorous "FUCK!" which is the final word in the song.

Overall, this is a very cool little compilation to own, and actually works more like a proper full-length, as all the songs differ greatly from the originals. Also, the final two songs "Amarok - Zorn Des Lammes (Part ll)" and " As The Stars Took Me With 'em", were previously unreleased. This could in a way be considered Nargaroth's second full-length. It is an hour and 12 minutes in length, and a nice gem to add to anyone's collection.

Nargaroth's second CD release on No Colours, "Amarok", is one of those "odds 'n' ends" releases record companies are so fond of shoveling out during the three-year gap between albums that's become the industry standard lately. This one's pretty worthwhile, though - six tracks clocking in at 73 minutes of all previously-unreleased material.

Amarok kicks off with the track "Herbstleyd", taken from the promo; according to the liner notes it's a different version from what appeared on the album proper. Funny, though, it sounds pretty damn close to what was on "Herbstleyd", except for the 8-minute intro which does not appear here. Excellent brooding, contemplative, epic black metal in the vein of mid-era Burzum, newer Graveland, Osculum Infame, etc. but with Kanwulf's own sick vocal screeches and the occasional blasting section. Next up is a cover of Burzum's "Black Spell of Destruction" - faithful, but even with the carbon-copy vocals it somehow sounds less than inspired; it's good, but it just misses the mark by lacking that special something to make it great.

Next up are two tracks from the "Herbstleyd" demo from 1993, "Shall We Begin" and "Into the Void". "Shall We Begin" begins with some heavy, creeping guitar work before blasting forth in a declaration of black metal war. Here some Darkthrone influence creeps in, sticking with the minimalist ideal of building atmosphere through cycling two or three main riffs. This influence is even more prominent on "Into the Void", using fast melodic strumming over a slow drumbeat in sort of a half-time version of Transilvanian Hunger.

Finally are two old studio tracks previously unreleased: "Amarok: Zorn des Lammes Part II" (no source cited) and "As the Stars Took Me With 'em" (said to be from the "Orke LP '91" - does anyone know what this is?). Part II of the Amarok song trilogy is a 23-minute piece and much like the other parts is rather unique among the rest of Nargaroth's material. There is an unusual beauty and melancholy in the music, beginning with the clean guitar riff starting off the song - it's contemplative but still sinister, building towards an explosion of somber fast strumming (again in the mid-Darkthrone vein). "As the Stars..." is another 20-minute-plus expression in the minimalist vein. This time, though, there is just a lone droning guitar and the shrieked vocals of Kanwulf, later moving to some very sparse, cosmic-sounding dreamlike sound effects which close out the last minutes of this song and album.

Overall, though a bit tedious towards the end, the spirit of the more contemplative and introspective side of black metal permeates this release, and it provides an interesting counterpoint to what would ultimately come next from Kanwulf...

(Originally published at LARM (c) 2001)