Review by Shezma for Kvist - For kunsten maa vi evig vike (1996)

Appreciated, Cult following Black Metal

This is what I used to think of with Black Metal. The loud driving drums with blast beats, undeniably unique black metal guitar work, undertone of low screeching vocals. This is the kind of album I would have listened to back in the early to mid 00's and then just put away remembering why I don't listen to black metal. This is not for me. If this was the only album of it's kind I would consider this a bad album, but there is a following for this style of music. I can hear there is talent here, and that there is really good overall sounds but nothing grabs me and keeps me involved. I keep falling out of this album when listening to it, for a few riffs and melodies I get drawn in but that only lasts for so long.

I actually was beginning to like the song Stupet, it had a good interlude with fun guitars. There is an unbridled anger that goes on for a bit too much and then takes a step back and pulls into a slow motion shot to watch as the anger erupts. You still feel the anger, just at a distance which I like but this only lasts for a bit before it becomes repetitive. It doesn't feel cohesive, there's no melodic transitions for any of these changes, it just tends to go on for way too long then turns the speed up or down but doesn't feel like much else changes. The end of the album was the worst part of that for me as I tried listening to the end a few times and I always just tune out, there is nothing that holds my attention at all.

This isn't a horrible album. I still give it decent marks, because it never did make me want to turn the music off however once the music was over and it was quiet I honestly didn't notice a few times. It's not a slog to get through, just entirely unmemorable for me. I can continue to put this album on but I will never remember I put it on, maybe this would be perfect study/homework music because it was actually decent as short drive listening music for background noise.