NITBERG — Nagelreid (review)

NITBERG — Nagelreid album cover Album · 2010 · Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4.5/5 ·
renkls
I am not well acquainted with NSBM, and only came across this album through a series of coincidences - most notably that it is an album of a single track, of 56 minutes. Unlike other albums which adopt this formula, Nagelreid has noticeable breaks in its structure, which gives the impression it is simply a bunch of songs stitched together for ambitions sake. However, upon reading the lyrics and immersing myself more in the concept behind the album, I think it was probably an ambitious move that paid off. That said, I do wish that the sections weren't so dependent on fades and cross dissolves that give attention to the multiple parts...anyway, what's the music on Nagelreid actually like? While conceptually, it deals with an extensive long form poem about the loss of traditions and perceived freedoms through the institutions of religion (a common theme in black metal), it utilises its message surprisingly, on a drum machine. This is not an intrusive addition to the mix however, although it did take me some getting used to. As it takes the form of one sprawling story, there are seldom repeated riffs, and the 56 minute journey travels through many moods and themes. The lyric booklet accompanying the CD subdivides this into 15 parts, which seems about correct. There is a lot to recommend about this particular black metal release, and I do so almost wholeheartedly. What stops me giving this album a perfect score is mostly minor issues I have - not so much to do with the music, but the ideologies that inspired its creation. You see, Nitberg is part of Blazebirth Hall, a radical collection of Russian NSBM bands that often express very politically charged messages through their music. It really comes down to a 'disprove-of-the-ideology-but-really-like-the-music' attitude for me; perhaps contradictory, but necessary in a way. I can say this album surprised me, as I was not expecting I would enjoy it as much as I did. For anyone who can overlook the political slant of its creators, Nagelreid is a powerful musical statement in black metal.
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