Dissection (SWE) - The Somberlain (1993)^{Release ID: 333}

Groundbreaking album that kicked off a subgenre while nailing it on the first attempt.

It wasn’t until late 1992 when the band began working on their debut album, that the infamous Dissection sound was fully formed. Due to problems coordinating all the guys from various locations, the entire band had shifted to Gothenburg, Sweden, where they shared a rehearsal space with the band At the Gates. I think it would be wrong to assume that this move to the home of melodic death metal, or the time spent with one of its establishing forces, were the catalysts for the melodic elements that entered Dissection’s sound around the same time. After all, while Dissection’s early work (The Grief Prophecy demo and Into Infinite Obscurity EP) were predominately straight forward death metal releases, they unquestionably had small touches of both the melody and the black metal that would eventually come to the fore in their sound. It’s more likely that Nödtveidt’s love of black metal and Zwetsloot’s background in classical guitar were the influences that drove Dissection to create something that, at the time anyway, was unique and groundbreaking. There’s no doubt that Nödtveidt was the main composer and lead guitarist for Dissection, but it was Zwetsloot that deserves credit for introducing the dual harmonies and the classical interludes that fill both of their classic albums, despite only taking part in the recording of The Somberlain.

Released in December 1993 and formally dedicated to the recently murdered Euronymous, The Somberlain stands as one of the more significant albums in the development of black metal. At this stage, melody wasn’t something often associated with the genre, and I’m not sure too many people in the scene considered it would ever play much of a role. Bands such as Darkthrone had taken the raw and nasty approach and others like Burzum had upped the atmosphere and melancholy to new heights, but The Somberlain showed that it was more than feasible to integrate melody without sacrificing any of the pure venom and majesty that the genre of black metal pretty much demands. Bands like Naglfar, Vinterland and Sacramentum owe their existence and success to The Somberlain, and its influence can also be heard in many of the melodic death metal albums that would shortly follow. The overriding atmosphere can be described as majestic and cold, with the razor sharp riffs combining perfectly with Nödtveidt’s raspy harsh vocals. This icy tone is beautifully captured visually by Kristian Wåhlin (aka Necrolord) with what is one his finest album cover efforts, giving more credence and mystery to the darkness contained within. The lyrics complete the package, describing shadowy lands and evil deeds, giving the listener numerous elements that form one distinct identity.

It has to be said though that despite how revolutionary and successful The Somberlain was on the first attempt, Dissection would substantially surpass it with the follow-up Storm of the Light’s Bane. There are two main reasons why I can’t rate the debut the full marks that its successor demands. Firstly, the three classical interludes by Zwetsloot are clearly meant to break the album up and give a bit of breathing space, but when focussed on individually are unnecessary and just a bit too pleasant to fit the tone of the surrounding malevolence. More importantly though, I don’t think Dissection had quite enough high quality material to keep the standard going for the whole 45 minutes. The first half contains sublime epics like Black Horizons, the title track and Heaven’s Damnation, but I think only Cold Winds of Nowhere comes close to matching them in the second half. Frozen has a fairly dodgy lead that threatens to ruin an otherwise decent track and The Grief Prophecy / Shadows Over a Lost Kingdom is a re-recording of old material that doesn’t quite compare to the new material. Flaws aside, The Somberlain deserves recognition for expanding the boundaries of black metal while being a thoroughly absorbing release in its own right. The recent two disc reissue by The End Records that includes the band’s demo and EP along with live and rehearsal material makes it an even more essential release.

I'm not the most ardent follower of Dissection, but they certainly deserve plenty of credit for pretty much inventing and perfecting the genre of melodic black metal with the release of this, their debut. Follow-up Storm of the Light's Bane is held up as the superior release but, to be honest there isn't a huge deal in it as this is a killer example of melodic black metal that has rarely been bettered. Now, melodic BM releases tend to get a bit of a rough ride from the more tr00 amongst black metal fans, yet Dissection seem to get a free pass, probably due to the position they hold in black metal history (and notoriety, to a degree).

Dissection didn't subscribe to the minimalistic or lo-fi approach of many of their contemporaries, with a crystal clear production job and a fairly muscular sound for early nineties BM. There are still remnants of the band's death metal beginnings to be found in their sound (check out the track Frozen) and that is the source of this beefier approach to black metal. The guitars sound fantastic with Jon Nödtveidt and classically-trained John Zwetsloot producing some sterling riffing and lead work, Zwetsloot also adding classical guitar on the short interlude pieces. Vocally Nödtveidt had one of the finest voices in black metal, I really love the harsh rasp to his delivery that is neither too shrill nor too deep. There are some great tracks here, albeit the best are front-loaded with Black Horizons, A Land Forlorn and the title track all featured early in the album. Still, if you want to hear the original and, debatably still the best, melodic BM then you really have to check out both The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane.

Yes, this brand of sombre Melodic Black Metal is absolutely to my taste. It also helps that this has huge Melodeath influences, enough so that you could easily give this album the accolade of being at the forefront of both genres. Mixing two genres still in infancy and managing to ace that combination is quite an incredible feat!

That’s what makes The Somberlain unique, but certainly not what makes it good. Every song is packed with excellent riffs that dance the line between evil, sombre, and folky. The drums have an incredible amount of diversity for a Black Metal album (the Melodeath influence is very strong here rhythmically) and you can expect much more than constant blast beats. The rhythm section is always changing, usually quite energetic but slowing down surprisingly often to allow riffs and atmosphere to marinate in a calmer zone.

The vocals sit right between Death growls and Black Metal shrieks, having a nice weight to them but maintaining a raspy enunciation that works very well. Most of the lyrics/themes are standard BM fare, focusing on occult darkness, but they’re well written. I will say, the acoustic interludes really don’t add anything to the album, and would have been more effective if interwoven into the songs. Unfortunately, they hurt the momentum because they aren’t strong enough to stand on their own. Otherwise, a great dark triumph that still stands above a vast majority of the hundreds of attempts at this sound since.

Best Melodic Black/Death ever, will pierce your soul like a burning arrow

My favorite metal album of all-time. Outwits, outcrafts, outmuscles all of its peers from the 90s Scandinavian black/death scene. There's not much to say except that every song is the complete package of what makes this type of music so spellbinding. Sinister yet melancholic guitar melodies, frostbitten chord progressions, soul-piercing screams, tight and impactful drums, gorgeous acoustic interludes, and ambitious / all-around epic songwriting. This album is truly a breathtaking experience and it is one I will likely always cherish.

Best of the best: A Land Forlorn, Heaven's Damnation, In The Cold Winds of Nowhere