Nordvargr – Tantum Melior (CD Album – Cyclic Law)
Genre/Influences: death-industrial, dark-ambient, drone, industrial, EBM.
Background/Info: Henrik Nordvargr Björkk last year released the album “Psychosis”. Seven songs from this album has been taken and exposed to the remix skills of nine artists, considered as ‘friends’ of the Swedish master.
Content: The remixes have been made by MZ.412, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Vasafor, Visions, Kristoffer Oustad, Spetsnaz, Michael Idehall, Thorofon and The Benjolin Codex. It creates a quite diversified opus, where you can easily recognize most of the original songs, but also the input from each remixer.
+ + + : Remix-albums aren’t exactly a very common practice in this kind of music. So the result is rather original and definitely diversified. If you would like to know how Nordvargr-stuff sounds in an EBM approach I can only, but recommend the Spetsnaz remix. But my personal favorite one is the dark and delicate accomplishment by Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio remixing “Sweet Death Triumphant”. In fact it’s much more than simply a remix, but a totally reworked edit featuring the vocals of Tomas Pettersson. Another essential piece is the remix of this same song by Thorofon. I like the electronic sequences mixed with spoken-like growls.
– – – : Even if this album has something ‘fun’-like I would have preferred discovering a new work from Nordvargr himself.
Conclusion: I’m not sure if the fans will be totally satisfied with this album, but it clearly is a kind of collector’s item and an ode to this genius artist.
Best songs: “Sweet Death Triumphant – Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Thorofon Rework”, “Salve Teragmon – Spetsnaz Rework”, “Sweet Death Triumphant – Kristoffer Oustad Rework”.
Rate: (7).
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