Jotunspor – Gleipnirs Smeder (CD Album – Cold Spring)

Genre/Influences: Black-metal, death-industrial.
Background/Info: The album “Gleipnirs Smeder” by Jotunspor was originally released in 2006 (!) on Satanas Rex (UK) and Candlelight Records (USA). Two years later (2008) the album got a re-release as a vinyl on Temple Of Darkness Records. The album was the first release on Satanas Rex, which is/was a black-metal division of Cold Spring, which now again has re-released the album. Jotunspor is a Norwegian duo featuring ‘King’ and ‘Kvitrafn’. Both members have been involved with different bands while they both were members of Gorgoroth.
Content: The ‘metal’ roots of both members rapidly emerge at the surface. Dark guitar playing and a furious cadence have been joined by enraged vocals. It creates the main substance of this work, which is just interrupted by a rather dark-soundscape cut filled with humming blasts while another track is more into death-industrial influences.
+ + + : Jotunspor created an obscure sonic universe inspired by old Norse cults and beliefs. It has been transposed into a sonic mayhem, evoking a giant drill driven by hardcore cadence. The album creates a sonic wall, which is just interrupted by the soundscape-like “Svartalvheims Djup” and “Solartjuven”, which sounds a little bit death-industrial like as well. I personally prefer this ‘softer’ side of the work.
– – – : Black-metal music is an extreme sensation to me and not exactly the kind of music that captivates me.
Conclusion: “Gleipnir Smeder” is a truly sound cataclysm; an extreme experience in sound, which is intended to please the true lovers in the genre.
Best songs: “Solartjuven”, “Svartalvheims Djup”.
Rate: (6).
Artist:
Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

