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...according to our Phil on Thu 12 Feb, 2009.
The new Svarte Greiner LP on Type is in this week. The master of doom is back with his second album on Type entitled Kappe. Not to be confused with the clothing giant who make casual apparel and sportswear. You couldn't get further away from that happy kappa smiling faces as this is one of the bleakest darkest things I've heard in ages. Primeval rattles and tinkles over ghostly voices and echoes over a dark foreboding maritime vibe are the prime ingredients in this super doomfest. They should use this music in horror films as it's genuinely unsettling. So unsettling in fact I've spoiled myself all over the place. I'm literally covered in shit from head to toe. I'm nothing short of a disgrace. Well dark!!Knive', Erik Skodvin's debut album under the Svarte Greiner moniker was a milestone in doom music. Taking a surprisingly acoustic route, he
kick-started a sub-genre as he used cello, violin and rattling miscellanies to conjure up blood-curdling soundscapes. 'Kappe' is his sophomore effort
and continues Skodvin's blackened underworld cruise, furthering his mysterious cinematic sound.
Through incessant touring Skodvin has built up a distinctive live technique since the release of 'Knive' and it is this which works as a spirit guide on
'Kappe'. Travelling the dark corners of the world, Skodvin has explored every shadowed alleyway in his grasp, built up a collection of broken
glove-puppets and potion-filled medicine bottles and trapped many a stifled scream in the process. Some of these disparate adventures were captured
to cassette tape ('Penpals Forever') and wax disc ('Til Seters'), but the most evil moments were set aside for this full length record; four fated psalms in
honour of the dark Northern lords.
The album's opener 'Tunnel of Love' may be the noisiest piece Skodvin has produced to date with a death-rattle of chains accompanying his patented
maritime bass drone. It sounds something like Death's gondola gliding through purgatory, gradually building into a dense, chattering cloud of torment
before dropping into bleak stillness. Skodvin is joined by Ultralyd saxophonist Kjetil Møster who adds a disarmingly terrifying squeal to the horrifying
detuned strings on 'Candle Light Dinner Actress'. The most startling change here is his incorporation of the electric guitar - 'Mystery Man' sees Skodvin
harness the feedback into loops of distressing, pained melancholy bringing to mind Skullflower or a slow-motion Sonic Youth at times.
'Kappe' however is very much its own beast, and followers will already know that nothing sounds quite like Svarte Greiner. You won't find a more
unsettling record this winter...
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Unit 20, Croydon House,
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Tel/fax: (+44) 0113 245 4399
Email: phil@normanrecords.com
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