The Fjordhammer Weekly Listening List (4th May 2021)

When Life Gives You Omens, Follow Them

Just recently on my walks around the various bits of woodland that I frequent, I have been followed by magpies and crows. Now, if we're thinking of crows, I tend to think about Odin's ravens Hunin and Munin, and there is some comfort in that. Hopefully the omens are good and it simply means that I am being watched over in a positive way. As for the magpies, I am baffled, every walk I go on I see one or a group, the luckiest I've been is 6 at once. I should have bought a lottery ticket on that day, as according to the rhyme 6 means gold, but I didn't. I am back after a self-imposed week off, I needed some time to some evaluating  and reflection as well as to process some things. Despite this I have definitely missed writing! There is something about just exploring at album's concepts and songwriting that I realised how much I enjoy. Writing has become routine so being away from it for a bit has been awesome for restarting my motivation, so I'm hoping this week to get a few reviews out to you. This of course does include my thoughts on the new Gojira album, just took a whole bank holiday weekend for me to fully comprehend it! Sometimes, we just need time to breathe and think about what we need in life and right now I'm fulfilled in a lot of areas bar one, which with a renewed sense of perspective, now have to work out how to move forward. In the meantime, the year's releases just keep getting stronger and stronger, just this week there have been some massive releases! So without further ado, let's get on with the music!

Songs Of The Week

I. Sojourner (🇳🇿/🇸🇪) - Perenial (Napalm Records), Epic/Atmospheric Black Metal

II. Thy Catafalque (🇭🇺) - Szarvas (Season Of Mist), Avant-garde Metal

III. Dödsrit (🇸🇪) - Apathetic Tongues (Wolves Of Hades Records), Black Metal/Crust

IV. Schattenfang (🇩🇪) - Das Meer In Uns (Northern Fog Record), Atmospheric Black Metal

V. Evile (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - The Thing (1982) (Napalm Records), Thrash Metal

VI. Borgne (🇨🇭) - The Swords Of Headless Angels (Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions), Industrial Black Metal

VII. Nekromantheon (🇳🇴) - Zealot Reign (Indie Recordings), Thrash Metal

VIII. Ninkharsag (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - The Dread March Of Solemn Gods (Vendetta Records), Black Metal

IX. Alastor (🇸🇪) - Dead Things In Jars (RidingEasy Records), Psychedelic Doom Metal

X. Spiritbox (🇨🇦) - Circle With Me (Pale Chord Music/Rise Records), Progressive Metalcore

Albums Of The Week

I. Gojira (🇫🇷) - Fortitude (Roadrunner Records), Progressive Death Metal

II. Evile (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - Hell Unleashed (Napalm Records), Thrash Metal

III. Nekromantheon (🇳🇴) - Visions Of Trismegistos (Indie Recordings), Thrash Metal

IV. Ninkharsag (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - The Dread March Of Solemn Gods (Vendetta Records), Black Metal

V. Nattverd (🇳🇴) - Vandring (Osmose Productions), Black Metal

Discovery Of The Week

I'm definitely gotten back into my deathcore recently, brutal chugging riffs and ridiculous beat downs just seem to help vent any frustration and anger I currently have. Not to mention the production being a masterpiece every time. With the genre itself it has a very particular way of doing things, but some bands manage to keep it fresh, I found that with Dutch beatdown specialists, Distant.

Distant (🇳🇱) - Vermillion Rivers (Unique Leader Records)

Throwback Of The Week

Continuing with the deathcore theme, this week's throwback comes from a band that I have had the privilege to see live and it was one of the most brutal deathcore sets I have ever witnessed. Just listen and see for yourself. 

The Acacia Strain (🇺🇸) - Coma Witch (Rise Records), Deathcore 

Favourite Song

Weekly Listening Playlist