Known the world over as one of the hardest-hitting, enigmatic members of the Norwegian Black Metal scene, 1349 has built quite a career playing relentless homage to the dark. On October 4, 2024, the Oslo-based band released its eighth studio album The Wolf & The King via the prolific Season of Mist Records.
Followers of 1349 will be aware that the band has never been afraid to keep its fanbase guessing, proving over the years that Vocalist Ravn and crew will do what they want to do, regardless of what happens to be in vogue at the time. Forming when Symphonic Black Metal was approaching its commercial apex, their formidable hell blast countered what many of their peers were doing at the time. This led to experimentation and more left-field iterations of their Black Metal style, which pleased some and confounded others.
Settling into a more traditional, if thrashy direction on 2014’s Massive Cauldron of Chaos, the new album continues this stylistic shift – perhaps a bit too predictably. “Ash of Ages” could have appeared on any of the last three albums, but then again, they said the same thing about Motörhead, didn’t they? If the backdrop of Frost’s blasting percussion overtop Archaon’s thrashing riffs tickles the fancy, then 1349 has delivered once again.
Then there is “Inferior Pathways” which lags a bit on the repetitive chorus, but the guitar attack and machine-gun drumming are tried and true 1349 elements and they are not being held back one bit. “Shadow Point” provides a slower build and is one of the strongest moments on the album.
Meanwhile, “The Vessel and The Storm” demonstrates this marriage of Black Thrash to Black Metal, which is one of the focal points of 1349’s shift in direction over the last now three albums. The drum performance on this song reminds the listener just how inhuman Frost is on his kit.
With only eight songs, 1349 is definitely not wasting notes, and “Obscura” features a bit more reverb on Ravn’s vocal, giving it more of the cavernous feel that lends itself so well to Black Metal. The sense of malevolence the band is clearly going for is more evident in a song like this, as it does not rely on the clinical, cold, and heavily measured attack of some of their other songs, notably album opener “The God Devourer.” Closing with “Fatalist,” the vocal choice of evil chanting and minimal musical backdrop, is a refreshing more occult feel, and serves an interesting way to conclude the album. In some ways, it’s the best part of the whole thing.
The Wolf & The King is a bit of a grower, as initial listens leave one feeling a bit cold and lacking the fire of some of their earlier works. However, 1349 are professionals, and deeper dives reveal enough intricate guitar work and exciting arrangements to keep the listener locked in for the long hall. This is why Cryptic Rock gives The Wolf & The King 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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