Despite the sheer amount of material they’ve released over the last nine years, Norwegian duo Gjendød has always offered something a little different. Early on they leaned into the more straightforward and raw variants of second-wave black metal, but with each album there have been subtle shifts in sound. 2020’s Angrep and 2022’s I utakt med verden are perfect examples of this, as the former went for sheer brutality with shorter song lengths and fast assaults while the latter took a more reflective and slower approach. After the release of I utakt med verden Gjendød expanded to a trio with new drummer TK joining the ranks, and with this change comes yet another deviation to the formula on Livskramper. The material still has that perfect blend of rawer and unrelenting riffs alongside colder melodies, but it offers a more varied listen compared to the singular focus of some of the group’s previous discography.
Opening track “Å ule mot feil måne” almost feels like it fakes you out, as the first minute or so has more reflective and calmer acoustic guitar that has a hint of darker folk to it, but this quickly subsides and the instrumentals come roaring back in with dense riffing and pummeling drums that hit as hard as possible. It’s a shift back towards Angrep’s warlike cadence, but there are some melodies layered on top that shake things up just a bit around the three-quarter mark. This is also where the synths appear for the first time and give some hints of atmosphere in between the uglier moments. It’s clear as you get further into Livskramper that there’s a lot more diversity to the songwriting than you might be expecting, but there’s always a colder and sinister feel to the tonality no matter the tempo. The title track is a great example, as it begins with guitar work that seem to twist and turn over the rumbling drums and bass but there are regular shifts between mid-tempo and blasting drum patterns that shake things up from one minute to the next. TK adds a lot to these arrangements, as his ability to go from looser almost playful arrangements to machinelike blasting gives Gjendød a different feel than before, and it makes some of the slower breaks more interesting. At times the melodies give off a sound closer to early Taake or Ulver, but the synth work on songs like “Gjendød” inject a more detached and alien feel to the arrangements. It’s a strong effort from beginning to end with plenty of stand-out riffs, and while a few of the shorter tracks do blur together the smaller details that jump out on repeat listens like the quick burst of spacey synth on closer “I nattens land” give plenty of reasons to come back for more.
Vocalist KK has been one of the defining elements of Gjendød no matter where they went instrumentally, as he has one of those screams that is consistently over the top and capable of sending chills down your spine from one minute to the next. Early on there’s a lot happening, as KK comes in with a raspier scream “Å ule mot feil måne” that quickly breaks into a howl and other pitches that are so distorted they sound like they’re trying to claw through your speakers. A lot of black metal vocalists try for consistent power and aggression, but the performance here feels downright unhinged and it continues to set Gjendød apart for me. Sometimes the shrillness of the pitch makes the vocals get swallowed up in the mix, but they always manage to break free and steal the spotlight. It’s not all shrieks and screams either, as tracks like “Under dekke” incorporate some chanting and calmer pitches.
On their fifth full length Gjendød varies their approach between brute force and darker, reflective moments, while still throwing in some unexpected elements through different drum rhythms or synth melodies. The addition of TK on drums has allowed them to pivot between tempos more fluidly than before, and this makes for some wild twists and turns that channel the free spirit of Norwegian black metal in its earlier days. I do think Angrep edges this one out just a bit for me, but there’s a lot to like about what the band is doing here and as they approach their tenth year of existence they feel as relevant as ever. Livskramper is available from Osmose Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg