Year: 2023
Total Time: 1.09.37
Label: Peaceville Records
How many years have passed since the release of “666 International” to “Supervillain Outcast”? Eight years. From “Supervillain Outcast” to “A Umbra Omega”? Another EIGHT years. And from “A Umbra Omega” to “Black Medium Current”? You guessed right, another EIGHT years! I don’t know if Vicotnic does it on purpose or it just happens, I always forget to ask him. But it’s obvious that “Black Medium Current” has been worked very, very hard, with rewrites and a lot of editing, especially in the lyrical area (although Vicotnic claims that he wrote the lyrics when he went into the studio for the recording) with a main focus on epistemological dualism. In short, objective/subjective reality, experience and psychology versus pressure from external factors, social taboos, laws of motion and causes that can affect one’s life and how all of these are connected and interact with each other.
Identity and faith coexist in Vicotnic’s mind, as does the nature of human behavior in combination with science. Musically speaking, “Black Medium Current” is heavy, quite accessible, without losing the DHG aesthetic and mostly introspective since it tries to keep a connection with the past. For example the first song released is “Abyss Perihelion Transit” is the first song created after the release of “A Umbra Omega” while the next song “Det Tomme Kalde Morke” is the last, with the rest of the album being somewhere in between chronologically. It would be nice to listen to it in that order.
I would characterize the stewardship and the presence of ARCTURUS as omnipresent (without the baroque interventions, of course), mainly in the majestic moments, the atmospheres and the style. Listening to the guitar solos and the Hard Rock-ies I was moved, jumped out of my seat, shouted “Sham Mirrors dude, yay!”. Vicotnic is growing up with us, we feel him so close to us, we are happy to have him in our company, not as the uncle who wants – by force – to sit with the youth, but as a nice guy who, yes, has matured, but will not cling to the past. On the contrary, he will not reject the new, he will accept it, process it and make it his own. This is exactly what happens with the opening “Et Smelter” which sounds more blackgaze than ALCEST and ends up sounding like TIAMAT era “Deeper Kind Of Slumber”. Even the wild vocal “Som sinnets fengsel bak en fasade!!!” gave me chills of emotion, thus ending the whole listening process in a completely experiential context.
“Black Medium Current” is not in any of the cases pure and radical Black Metal. These ideas are channeled by Vicotnic in DOEDSMAGHIRD whom we hear on Peaceville’s compilation “Dark Side Of The Sacred Star”. We said it’s introspective, transcendental in parts, accessible and needs a lot of listening with patience. The days of rage are gone, no longer pissed off nor direct communicators of political manifestos. Costin Chiorenau’s almost masterful lay out and all the work of Costin Chiorenau bring DHG’s vision to life. The production and mixing are ideal and the participation of Lars Emil Maloy as bassist (mainly) but also as pianist, cellist, flutist and Theremin user on “Requiem Aeturnum” and “Et Smelter”, elevates the album.
The older fans approach fearlessly, don’t sour your face, give it a chance, you grew up too! Younger ones approach with respect a band that is a landmark in the extreme sound. A band that never delivered chewed food. I’m sure that when the lists for 2023 are made, “Black Medium Current” will be given a prominent place rightfully!
Rating: 8/10
Editor: Dimos Karadimos
Related Link: DODHEIMSGARD – Facebook Page
