Soulseller Records (2011)

Right from the start there is something likeable about this debut. Rather than going for a straight-up BM sound, Ulverheim have incorporated quite a heavy dose of Swedish Viking metal into the mix. The result is that the sound palette is much wider and more varied than one would find on a typical BM release, and quite welcome it is. The guitars are fatter and more rounded and the song dynamics allow for plenty of melody and groove while maintaining the ever-important darkness and atmosphere. Not an easy trick to do!

“När Dimman Lättar” does not reinvent the wheel, nor is it the most innovative album you’ll hear this year. While that is normally a problem for me, in this case the songs are strong enough and the sound rich enough that Ulverheim breeze past this limitation without a backward glance.

Fans of the necro or impenetrable ends of the BM spectrum might find this one a little tame and unchallenging, but those who fancy something more commercial and accessible will find much to like here.

www.ulverheim.com
www.soulsellerrecords.com

Rating: 4.5 / 6

Composed by Peter Loftus