Review NATTVERD “Tidloes Naadesloes”

Bergen in Norway is both a picturesque city and the epicentre of Norwegian black metal. One band that hails from the city by one of the many fjords is Nattverd. The five-piece started 15 years ago, but it took them until 2017 to release their debut album. “Tidloes Naadesloes” is the fifth longplayer from the Norwegian black metal powerhouse, and it contains ten throbbing songs.

A black soul is the main driving force behind each of these blistering extreme metal outbursts, starting with ‘Iskalde Horn’. It is a furious blastbeat start to the album packed with frantic tempo. There is no compromise as the song is like a musical punch in the face. The following “Doedsfugl” starts with a reduced tempo compared to the high speed opener. What remains is the eerie atmosphere that runs through the entire album. Although it is one of the shorter songs on this release, it is an atmospheric black metal song that reflects an ice-cold Scandinavian winter night.

Nattverd stick to their atmospheric approach, especially when it comes to songs like the epic “Ratte Og Raatt”. Clocking in at five minutes, it is one of the longer tracks on the album, and it speaks to the songwriting skills of the five Norwegians making this track a mesmerizing moment on the record. It feels as if the abyss is staring at you with an evil grin while you are listening to this sinister black metal track.

The tempo increases with songs like “Udyr”. Nattverd shift gears and put the pedal to the metal without neglecting some more epic moments. Still, the blasting song is built on sheer speed and is a ferocious moment on an album that also includes a Dødheimsgard cover. Nattverd recorded their take on “Naar Vi Har Dolket Guds Hjerte,” which is another blasting turn on this release.

“Tidloes Naadesloes” is an oldschool black metal album. It is a hellish blast for fans of extreme metal, delivered by a band that is established and at the same time avoids any trends. It is the blackened soul that speaks through these songs, being the gloomy antagonist to the picturesque city of Bergen.