Bored out of my mind one night towards the end of last year, I attempted to watch a not-so-good black metal documentary on YouTube. Thankfully I stuck around for at least a few minutes, 'cause this track backs a portion of the opening credits, and captured my interest immediately. After doing some detective work, I was able to determine that it was Gjenferdsel, a Norwegian duo I had never heard of. Next thing you know, I'm ordering both of their CDs from Hell's Headbangers.
There's nothing innovative about this piece. It's stripped down and straightforward black metal with dry production, great riffs, and textbook atmosphere. But formulas work for a reason, and I'm a firm believer in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. Gjenferdsel perfectly executes this particular formula, and the rugged immediacy of "Svik" maintains its position as my favorite of their compositions.
