HELRUNAR - FROSTNACHT / Lupus Lounge
Contributed by Joni Juutilainen
Wednesday, 19 October 2005

Imhotep Rating: 8/10

Helrunar totally mesmerized me with their phenomenal appearance in the lately released split-mcd with Nachtmahr. Helrunar´s authentic and traditional melodic black metal was almost the most well balanced Nordic black metal I´ve ever heard. The most odd thing in this case is actually the fact, that Helrunar is really from Germany. The most Norwegian black metal band - from Germany.

Musically Helrunar isn´t nothing we haven´t heard before. Just slightly folkish black metal with cold atmosphere and good musicianship, really close to what bands like Borknagar, Enslaved and Ulver did ten years ago, but far much better. Helrunar´s most stunning trait is the ultimate sense of how to create strong atmospheres with the most minimalistic elements that can be used. Some really cold, simple and effective riffs, like the ending lead of the "Unten und im Norden" or melancholic ones in "Der Trank des Gehängen" gave me good, long shivers. Actually those riffs aren´t nothing special or new, but somehow they just work so fucking well. Helrunar is without any doubt one of the greatest "newcomers" into the field of atmospheric black metal. By using some good old tricks, this dynamic trio succeed to create very strong and timeless album. At first,"Frostnacht" was little disappointment to me, but with time and more listening "Frostnacht" turned out to be a very entertaining package of good metal music. Even though Helrunar´s concept (Nordic black metal from Germany) might sound ridiculous to someone, just give a spin to this cd, don´t take everything too serious and you´ll be completely satisfied.


52 min.