The DevilsHorns

For a band who released their debut album in 1997, it is somewhat surprising to find that And Darker it Shall Become is only the 4^th album by Swedish Black/Death metal stalwarts Korp.

It is possibly the most immediate album I’ve reviewed this year. ‘Blood Upon the Throne’ opens with an almost frantic thrash style riff before Erik Hillströms’ black metal vocals explode. The song is almost brutal in its approach, but with an underlying melody that surprises. It is a decent, but not captivating beginning to the 10 track, 45 minute album.

‘Furious Tempest Rise’ is more of the same. One of the best parts of the track is 4 minutes in, when a delightfully moody riff entertains you. The track effortlessly blends a variety of genres, delivering a strong aggressive song. ‘I Swear Allegiance’ is a slower track, Hillströms delivers arguably his best performance on here, with his approach suiting the song perfectly. ‘Bloodstorms’ has a headnodding opening riff that is kind of forgotten later in the track, then remembered? It’s a varied track that is merely ‘ok’ throughout.

to disappointing inevitability.

Here my notes range from, ‘…again the approach is similar’ through to ‘it isn’t bad, just frustrating’. If you like the approach And Darker it Shall Become takes, then the whole album will impress you, an example being ‘Black Winter Matters’, a dark, vocally aggressive number that packs a gut punch and unsettles you a bit. If you don’t like this approach, then Korp may provoke apathy.

Alas, it is the latter feeling that And Darker it Shall Become delivers for me. The album does have moments, but it lacks subtlety and that puts me off grabbing multiple listens. One listen maybe enough for me.

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