Snöbollskrieg

Sportlov is basically a gimmick band, the gimmick being the lyrics, which are centered around winter sports and activities. Their first EP is named Snöbollskrieg, Snowball Fight and just looking at the title, one can tell that this is not an extremely serious band. Well, it's not meant to be. It's meant to be a parody of black metal. Of course, the band won't admit that, but everyone can see it.

As a parody of black metal, it's great. As a record on its own, it's mediocre. The riffs are standard, nothing new. The drums play almost only blastbeats. Don't except great music or anything creative. The music is not bad, but it's not notable either. It's plain and generic. That's because Sportlov focus on lyrics. And it is when it comes to lyrics that Sportlov are creative.

Sportlov's lyrics make fun of black metal cliches such as Satan, winter and coldness Some would say "untr00". I say the lyrics are some of the best metal lyrics ever. Not because they are well written, not because they are beautiful, but because they are so hilarious. For example, the song Svarta Pisten (The Black Piste): "Father, Satan, guide me through the slalom gate//to victory in the one true winter sport!" Hilarious.

Extreme purists might say that black metal should not be joked about or made fun of. All they do is prove the stereotypes that are parodied by Sportlov.

Snöbollskrieg gets a 6/10, but if I were to base it solely on music, it would be 2/10. Based solely on lyrics though, it would get 10/10. I say pick it up, if you just want to laugh, while still being tr00.