Arckanum: Kostogher (1997)

Here we go.  Now we are getting into the sound I really associate with Arckanum.  This is the one-man band's second full-length album and it has taken another massive step forward.  The formula has remained largely the same, but there is a massive improvement in the compositional skills and proficiency at the instruments.

Arckanum's sound has always reminded me somewhat of countrymen Dissection, and that is on full display on this release.  Arckanum is decidedly more black metal, but some of the riffing style is similar to when Dissection is doing a heavier section.  There is some melody present, but by and large, Arckanum's sound is based around a few repetitive riffs, but there is a strong, malevolent atmosphere to everything the band does.  The drumming is particularly impressive, which makes sense because Shamaatae used to be the drummer for Grotesque.  His fills and blasts are inspired on this release, one of the better drum performances I have heard in some time from a black metal release.

The songs on this release do tend to run together a little bit, but that's why it is best to listen to the album as a whole rather than skipping through songs.  As a complete album, it absolutely pummels the listener.  That is the way it should be experienced.

Of the three Arckanum releases I have reviewed recently, this is the best, but there are several more to come soon.  And Arckanum really takes off later.

Arckanum: Trulen (1994)

I guess we are going backwards for the second out of the three Arckanum posts (for now).  This is the band's fourth demo, but the last one before Arckanum released their debut full-length.  A number of the songs that appear on Fran Marder also appear here, though not sounding quite the same.

This is a much more raw and amateur sound than the band had on the debut.  The biggest difference is in the production and the guitar tone.  It's a much more stripped-down sound and does not have nearly the bottom end found on the debut full-length.  But many of the other elements that made the debut so good are here, including the fast riffing style, the nature sounds and the dark and occult atmosphere.  Also present are the vocals, which alternate between harsh screams and hypnotic chanting.

I still have to say that with the choice between this demo and Fran Marder, the latter is the better listen.  The improvement in production has a big impact.  This is a fine demo, but just know that it has the typical limitations of a self-produced demo.  The full-length sounds much more impressive.

Arckanum: Fran Marder (1995)

I have mentioned several times that one of the things that I love about being a metalhead is being able to locate hard-to-find and out-of-print albums because stuff is constantly reissued.  I assume this is at least partially true of other genres, but there are labels whose sole purpose is re-releasing albums that have come before.  Enter Arckanum, a Swedish one-man black metal band whose unpronounceable album ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ caught my attention almost a decade ago.  So, when the band's material was re-issued recently, I started to pick them up.

Fran Marder is the band's debut full-length.  The music bears a slight resemblance to other early Swedish black metal bands, such as Dark Funeral, Dissection and Marduk.  The focus is more on faster, more intense riffing and building a chaotic and evil atmosphere.  The production is extremely impressive, particularly for a mid 90's black metal album.  The structures are mostly simple, built around one or two repeating riffs, but the use of sound effects (particularly stormy weather) gives the album an icy and forbidding feel.

This is an extremely impressive debut for the band.  Of course it is much more raw than some of the later output, but Arckanum got off to the right start.

Initial Impressions: Arckanum: ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ

First things first: I am not even going to begin to try to tell you what the hell the name of this album is. I have no idea. Also each song starts off with that same symbol. I don't even know what the symbol is. Stupid black metal bands. Stupid unpronounceable symbols.

Okay, now that that is out of the way, it's time to look at Arckanum. But first, history lesson time boys and girls. Grab a slab of the magic storytelling carpet.

Dissection is the most famous Swedish black metal band. They are equally infamous offstage. Jon Nodtveidt is one of a handful of black metal musicians who spent some serious time in prison. Nodtveidt spent time for murder. But, that's not the point. The point is that ever since Nodtveidt went off to prison, we have been inundated with metal media referrals to various Swedish black metal bands as "The Next Dissection". Dissection was very influential, mixing black metal, thrash, and melodic death metal. There have been numerous pretenders to the throne. Watain is one of the most recent.

Which brings us to Arckanum.

As if you couldn't figure out, Arckanum is another band lovingly referred to in some circles as "The Next Dissection". I can kind of see it. I mean, I don't think this band is definitely "The Next Dissection" but they possess some qualities that I suppose eases the loss of that great band.

Arckanum's brand of melodic-tinged black metal features swirling tremolo riffs, blasting drums, and Shamaatae's Nodtveidt-esque vocals. This is a great black metal album. I may have to check out more of their stuff.