Nordvargr — Metempsychosis
Skillfully mixing slow, churning, dark ambient soundscapes with plodding, metallic industrial rhythms, Nordvargr's Metempsychosis combines the natural world with the human world in an interesting way. Opening with the evocative "Into the Cycle of All and Nothing," Metempsychosis follows the journey of a spirit following the death of its current body. With this arc in mind, one can put a lot more into the sounds presented and what may be in store for his or her own soul upon shaking off this mortal coil. Grim, menacing vocals are ever present on the album and add a sense of unease, and provide a nice contrast to slow, brooding moments. These vocals (and extras courtesy of TREPANERINGSRITUALEN) really add depth and ferocity to "First East," and the menacing industrial build that spills forth. The soul's journey between bodies, and the ethereal space between provides a wonderfully fertile soil for Nordvargr to plant his sonic seeds. Taking a creator/judge out of the mix allows the listener more freedom in deciding what happens during the journey on Metempsychosis, and may ultimately give him or her more to think about in day to day life. While not directly posing these lofty questions, Nordvargr evokes older feelings and reactions with a near primitive vibe to both the soundscapes and ritual industrial. Of times grim, but also transcendent, Metempsychosis is quite an engaging work and an excellent addition to Nordvargr's already stellar discography.
With ten tracks of well thought out industrial grimness, Nordvargr's Metempsychosis takes the listener on a journey where a soul is on its own, looking for a new repository. Slowly plodding, but rising and falling in delight along the way, Metempsychosis lays out a vivid soundscape for which the listener can draw his or her own conclusions. His first entry on Cyclic Law, Nordvargr's latest is a force to be reckoned with.