Year: 2020
Total Time: 35:20
Label: Season Of Mist

It took fifteen years (since 2005’s self-titled album) for the Swedish Black Metallers MORK GRYNING to return and make their presence known with their new album “Hinsides Vrede”. For those who do not know them, MORK GRYNING were created in 1993 and stood out on the underground with the great debut album “Tusen År Har Gått” (recorded at the legendary Unisound Studios, produced by Dan Swano). Since then, they released four more full length albums until their disappearance in 2005.

“Hinsides Vrede” at its first half, acrobats between melody and aggression in an idyllically way and the first three songs “Fältherren”, “Existence in a Dream” and “Infernal” prove it. Three excellent Black Metal compositions that could have been written in the mid-90s. And as where you’re excited about the first very good songs, then comes a rollover and the album changes direction as we hear new elements as classical guitars, piano, female and male clean vocals while the sound it is slightly closer to melodic Death Metal. A turn that is not particularly successful as it sounds meaningless, confusing and shatters what the Swedes had built in the first 15 minutes of “Hinsides Vrede.

A quite good return by the Swedes without at the same time offering us something special that will make them distinguish from the plethora of genre’s releases. The excellent production and three great compositions cannot save the day, as MORK GRYNING sets aside the aggressive Black Metal for melodies. They’ve add some new elements in their sound with the final result not being the one I was expecting…

Rating: 6/10
Label: Nikos Manousis
Related Link: MORK GRYNING – Facebook Page