Helrunar – Grátr
Self-Released, 2004
(for Convivial Hermit #2)

Even if it is impossible not to mention plenty of other bands when describing the music of Helrunar, Enslaved, Ulver, Kampfar, Darkthrone, the list goes on and on, the fact – my fact - remains: Helrunar is one of the best black metal bands operating right now in Germany, if not the entire world. They are not the most original band in the world, no, but Helrunar make such a positive impression on the hearer from even the first try that these thoughts are soon forgotten. This is true in part due to the professional presentation, yet how many bands are there who have professional presentations but whose music ultimately fails to achieve any visceral effect? Helrunar’s advantage is that they touch the senses from both angles, the most important trait being that the compositions of Grátr are simply of the highest quality. They are distinctive, individual, beautiful, and, above all, highly emotional. This is music that moves the listener’s sensibility by the sheer weight of expressive grief, pain, joy, contemplativeness and so on. How rare it is that I put on an album and am tempted to cry...! Listen to the title track, the similarity the primary theme has to the weeping of a solitary, burdened soul, and tell me otherwise. This is the result of a concentrated effort and an uncommon talent of translating the most prime emotions into the language of sound. Rather than clumsily beating their instruments with nothing to share of value outside of simply keeping up with the rhythm, an evocative idiom is proffered... in other words, this music wishes to communicate to the hearer, it wishes to speak... and be understood! Basically, the tools at the command of Helrunar are not particularly unique, they remain secondary, in a sense, and thus my opening statement. This is their limitation. But I am sure that, over time, if indeed they continue on upon this remarkable path initiated by their first album, they will continue to improve, drawing in closer to the foundational root of their creativity, and hence advancing further into a more and more individual, spiritual path. Then again, there is the possibility that, as a demo recording, Grátr will be their first and final release of such outstanding vitality. I hope that this latter possibility never comes to pass. In the meantime, there is no sense in making predictions for the future. Grátr’s tireless, hermetic approach to spiritual black metal has reinvigorated the belief in me that black metal is alive and well, and that I am not a complete fool for following this style to the present day (perhaps only partial!)... recommended!