CoC : Naglfar - Sheol : Review

Naglfar - _Sheol_
(Century Media, 2003)
by: Pedro Azevedo (9 out of 10)

Naglfar have harvested influences from Dark Funeral and Dissection, filtered them through they own style, and come out with a damn enjoyable album that still manages to be just about distinctive enough to scrape through the minimum required originality barrier. _Sheol_ is an extremely energetic, dynamic -- and have I already mentioned enjoyable? -- album that sets quite a few standards in its genre (e.g. "Of Gorgons Spawned Through Witchcraft", to name just one track). It contains some amazing high-speed serpentine guitar work a la Dark Funeral, soaring leads, catchy riffs and vocal patterns, a punishing rhythm section, and a relentlessness that just won't let go -- a lot like its predecessor _Diabolical_, only much increased. _Sheol_'s success also lies in the fact that when it does remind you of some other band, it almost always reminds you of that band at its best. The resulting concoction, after being given the Naglfar treatment, is delivered in such excellent form that one would really have to make an effort for something like lack of originality to disturb his appreciation of this devil of an album. _Sheol_ spent quite a few years in the making (its full-length predecessor came out in 1998, with only an EP in between), and the maturity of the songs on offer is apparent throughout. This is by no means some quick rehash of the band's previous album -- contrary to, say, Soilwork's latest --, and the track list is free of any weak links. Anyone who seeks well written, explosively delivered, highly energetic melodic black metal should derive massive enjoyment from _Sheol_ -- as long as originality isn't a major concern.

Contact: http://www.naglfar.tk

(article published 11/5/2003)

ALBUMS
2/4/2007	K Sarampalis	8	Naglfar - Harvest
5/31/2005	J Smit	7	Naglfar - Pariah
4/12/2002	Q Kalis	7	Naglfar - Ex Inferis
11/19/1998	P Schwarz	8.5	Naglfar - Diabolical
6/9/1996	B Meloon	7	Naglfar - Vittra