Review SAHG ‘Born Demon’

Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, is perhaps not exactly what you would call a metropolis. Nevertheless, the second largest city in Norway is home to a very agile and creative metal scene. One of the bands that have their headquarters in Bergen are the doom metallers from Sahg, who are currently thrilling the fans of slow riffs with their sixth album.

With ‘Born Demon’ the trio effortlessly follows up on the previous album; and yes, trio is not a typo. Sahg are back in a three-piece formation. This does not affect the sound and the songs. On the contrary. Sahg sound fresh and vibrant.

Overall, the sixth record seems rather reduced and to the point. The trio is playing with enthusiasm but is not too extravagant. As a result, the flow of the album is great and it’s an earthy mix of doom and occult that blows your mind.

‘Fall Into the Fire’ kicks things off and it’s a furious opener. Equipped with a catchy chorus, Sahg tell the story of a man who gets involved with the devil’s daughter. By the time he realizes this, however, it’s too late and he’s already on his journey to hell. If you look at the song and lyrics you recognize that Sahg have set all signs to metal.

‘Born Demon’ has only strong songs and yet it is the superb ‘House of Worship’ that stands out. The song, with its hypnotic basic structure, exudes a unique fascination from the first note.

With the title track and also ‘Black Cross on the Moon’, the trio spreads a dark atmosphere and you can’t escape it. The slow rhythms are like a joyful cheer from the world of gloom.

But of course Sahg also enjoy faster songs. ‘Evil Immortal’ is such a track, where the basic gloomy mood is maintained, however, the song belongs to the roaring tracks on ‘Born Demon’.

What is also noticeable is that the trio has written shorter tracks. While it used to be eleven-minute epics that found a place on previous albums, ‘Born Demon’ impresses with short songs that are spot on. Sahg does not get lost in long and complex song structures. It is the simple riff’s power that makes each of the ten songs a metallic highlight.

‘Born Demon’ gains its versatility from simplicity. Here the focus is set on hard riffs and great vocals, which makes the songs catchier and yet the Norwegians manage to give the album the necessary variety and heaviness. Two thumbs up.