Black Metal, Doom Metal, Suicide Metal. All three have been used to describe Shining, and all three work perfectly, whether individually or as a group. Shining are the masters at this type of sound, and return here with V: Halmstad. Past rumors of suicide by vocalist Niklas Kvarforth, if not already put to rest, can be finally dispelled, as he appears here at his anguished, agonizing best. V: Halmstad doesn't vary all that much from a style standpoint from its predecessor, The Eerie Cold. It's slightly progressive and ultra depressive, in a good, suicidal, Shining sort of way of course.
V: Halmstad is chock full of heavy mid tempo Black Metal conjurings, which are contrasted beautifully by mellow interludes which include piano, some very nice guitar work, both electric as well as acoustic, and what sounds like a nice fretless bass sound bringing up the background. The songs show off a wide variety of styles. One thing the band does very well is keep the feeling of misery and depression peaked throughout the entire album, while never losing their intensity. Even the more mellow parts of the album have an underlying intensity or suspense rather, making the listener anxious to reach further ahead. The subtle use of female voices in key points adds to the feeling of dread. One rather interesting piece on the album is the ending of "Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra", which is a bit twisted, you could say. The listener will have to figure that little tidbit out for themselves. (The band paying homage maybe?)
V: Halmstad is everything one would expect from Shining. This isn't your typical Black Metal album; it leans much more towards a doom feel. It's a dark, emotional and depressing musical experience, which in this case is exactly what the listener is looking for. Shining fans will love it, and anyone feeling rather melancholy is sure to enjoy this one.
*Note: Any fans figuring out the "Twisted" ending mentioned above please feel free to email me and tell me.
Track Listing
01. Yttligare Ett Steg Närmare Total Jävla Utfrysning
02. Längtar Bort Från Mitt Hjärta
03. Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra
04. Besvikelsens Dystra Monotoni
05. Åttiosextusenfyrahundra
06. Neka Morgondagen
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