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Not as good as Mystic Forest, but all good - 87%
If you already know Eikenskaden then you probably already know that this guy plays black metal with a huge classic influence, as he uses tons of piano interludes. This release, however, leaves the piano on the side and focuses more on raw guitar work and sorrowful atmospheres. This album also contains more melodic parts, that remind me of the more melodic side of Mystic Forest. Imagine the latest Mystic Forest, Romances, but without any piano and rawer riffs. This is basically what 665.999 is about.
Another element that Stefan managed to improve are the drums. The drums in the other Eikenskaden albums weren't any bad, but being done by a drum machine and all, they could've been reworked on quite a bit. However, in this album, the drums are feature a lot more variability, and high-hats and snares don't come out of nowhere.
The vocals are always as hateful, and they somehow reminded me of Bloodaxe, full of hatred, but always under control. Leads in this are no different than the one provided in Last Dance or Black Laments Symphony, Stefan sure does know how to play his fucking guitar!
This is no "Romances" by Mystic Forest or anywhere as good as "Waltz In The Midst Of Trees", but still extremely enjoybale and will please all Kozak fans.
Almost as good as The Last Dance - 85%
What happened to the piano? The beautiful piano parts that were plentiful in The Last Dance have been, for the most part, removed. However, in lieu of them is an audible bass and more guitar work and solos. The guitar leads and solos are very well written and played. The songs are very diverse and aren't repetitive and the music is powerful and very emotional. Stefen's vocals are well done and also add to the atmosphere and emotion. Just as in previous releases, Eikenskaden manages to pull off a sound different to many other black metal bands while still retaining a raw production. For fans of black metal and of earlier Eikenskaden, this album is highly recommended. And if anyone is concerned if the passion and Romanticism prevalent in previous releases, don't worry. It's still there.