HØSTSOL – Länge Leve Döden

Has 2023 already produced one of its best albums? It’s too soon to say. If we ranked top debuts, this one would make the list. Høstsol may be a new name, but its members are veterans. The result is outstanding. Before exploring the album, let’s introduce its creators.

 

Høstsol is a pan-Scandinavian project uniting top black metal musicians from across the region. Swedish Niklas Kvarforth, the vocalist of Shining, delivers his signature screams. Finnish members Vesa Wahlroos (Kalmos) and Rainer Tuomikanto, bassist and drummer of Ajattara, join the lineup. Norwegian Tor-Helge Skei (Cernunnus), known for Manes, leads the project. With such a skilled and varied lineup, a remarkable album was inevitable. The diversity of the members is precisely the album’s strength. Kvarforth’s deep, crushing screams ride over a razor-sharp rhythm section reminiscent of Horna‘s pace and weight—that is, delivering intense speed and heaviness much like Horna‘s. Cernunnus plays a pivotal role: while he delivers his signature icy, glacial Norwegian riffs, he also channels the avant-garde experimentalism of his Manes project. Manes emerged in the Norwegian black metal scene alongside bands like Darkthrone, Satyricon, and Mayhem, but uniquely pursued experimental directions, setting themselves apart. This is the essence of Länge Leve Döden (“Long Live Death”): an album that never stops surprising across its five sprawling tracks, both grand in structure and thrilling to listen to.

 

The opener, As Seven Through The Eyes Of The Prophet, plunges listeners into a dark, oppressive atmosphere. Bells and ethereal voices set the mood before the song explodes into a mid-tempo black metal assault. The album’s pristine mastering elevates every moment, making its atmospheres hypnotic. Cernunnus’s icy guitar remains central, as do the dark ambient synth layers, notably on Det som en gång var (det kommer aldrig igen), which channels Burzum’s spirit while adding ethereal depth. Another standout, Länge leve den ansiktslöse mördaren, builds from haunting tension into a raw, violent crescendo, featuring precise bass, majestic riffs, aggressive screams, and intricate synths.

 

Høstsol balances beauty and violence. Restless equilibrium defines the album. Their black metal honors the past while breaking free through carefully crafted, lugubrious moments. Länge Leve Döden stands out for its dual soul: ruthless and romantic. The album takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster through eternal desolation. Few bands achieve this; Høstsol does it brilliantly.