Svartsot - Maledictus Eris

Being the season of all that is morbid, gory, and just plain awful I bring a treat! This is Alex and here I present to you a new installment of “Bands that Alex Likes on Ice in 3-D, the Halloween Version” today’s review will be on one of my most favorite bands Svartsot and their most recent CD “Maledictus Eris” that (in Europe) was released on July 29th, 2011. The third CD from Danish folk/death metal band Svartsot is a concept album about the Bubonic Plague arriving in Denmark in the 14th century and the death it left in its path. While the lyrical content sounds a little depressing/gory, musically it has surpassed the already high expectations I had hoped for it. This album was different from the first two albums “Mulmets Viser “(Darkness Shows) and “Ravenes Saga” which just made you want to go out and pillage some villages and drink while you were at it. “Maledictus Eris” has evolved Svartsot’s sound into something less pillage-y but still being true to the spirit of wanting to headbang along to the songs.

“Maledictus Eris” begins with a gloomy short intro: “Staden…”(City…) and goes in to the next track “Gud giv det varer ved!” (God give the goods in!) with full force…..and the force won’t stop, which is a good thing because you won‘t want it to. Blast beats, amazing guitar work, traditional folk, and a singer who has an unmistakable voice acoustics that just work so well together throughout this album. One of the tracks that blends this so well together would be track number four “Farsoten kom” (Plagues Came). Granted all of them sound great and each song has a different folk instrument that sticks out more than the rest. The only song in this whole album that isn’t brutal/heavy would be track number ten “Spigrene” (Spikes) is a sorrowful ballad of sorts telling the story of watching everything from the sidelines and feeling fear: The weight on a mans soul after locking people in their homes leaving them to die for fear of the spread of the disease.

The final track though “..Og Landet ligger sa ode hen” (..And the land is so desolate) is one of the greatest ending songs lyrically and musically. Seeing how a big part of the population is dead and seeing that only strength can keep who is left alive. The people look forward to the future that looms ahead.

While typing up synopsis on each of the songs would make this review easier to understand not to mention longer than it should be you will just have to hear for yourself. Only problem is I highly doubt you can get this CD at any record stores and might have to order it online from Europe which makes me a sad pillager. Below are some youtube links for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqOhnIXKv1E -“Spigrene”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06zqOfEbPU - “Gud giv det varer ved!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhLsjFaF5ko -“Farsoten kom”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tS0yeluQf8 - “..Og Landet ligger sa ode hen”