It was the excited conversation in Metal Storm's very own shoutbox along with Mr. Doctor's enthusiastic review that brought me to this album. I must say, my initial impression was strong. I have been less than impressed by a lot of recent black metal I have heard, and I am especially wary of any from my own homeland of America. Yet Volahn managed to pique my interest enough to warrant closer inspection.
Those who have read my other reviews may be familiar with my 3 personal indices of a good album: enjoyability, innovation, and musicianship. However, I will have to tackle these simultaneously this time around, as they all have much to do with one thing: Taake. Those who have read up on Aq'Ab'Al or listened for themselves are likely aware of the guitar-driven qualities of the album. Jangly, infectious riffs abound, and an axe-guy like me will eat this up. But the melodies and guitar tone have a more than passing resemblance to early works from Hoest.
Now, first and foremost, I put that forward as a compliment. Nattestid… happens to be one of my favorite later 2nd wave BM albums. More importantly to Volahn's credit, the level of emotion and conviction in the music is something that not even Taake has been able to recreate in many years. I feel an overwhelming sadness listening to these tunes, but not at the expense of the pace and fury. The blastbeats are still plenty capable of bringing one to their feet.
Also similar is the production. It has some grit - which to me is all but required of a good BM album - yet Aq'Ab'Al is still extremely accessible in its beauty. Volahn use some interesting effects, Spanish-influenced acoustic guitar, and even bird sounds to add to the already deep atmosphere. These are things that do help to pull me away from the comparisons I was frequently making. Unfortunately, things get a little repetitive about halfway through the album for me. The songs each feature riffs that are unique, but similar enough in quality and character to cause things to run together. Repeat listens didn't offer much change in this respect.
Ultimately, my impression of the album is a mixed bag. I appreciate the guitar focus and feeling, but am not consistently engaged for the full duration. I love the non-traditional instrumentation, but feel overall compositions are slightly repetitious. As always, this is a decision you should make for yourself. The performances from every instrument are strong, but a little more zest to the songwriting and this could have easily been a 9 or higher. At very least, I will be watching to see what Volahn does next.
