The Finest of Black Metal - "Thousand Swords" Review (97%)
In a black metal genre where neo-pagan/nationalist themed artists/albums/songs are commonplace, Graveland has always seemed to stand among those who capture the essence of paganism in the correct light, from their debut Carpathian Wolves to their most modern releases.
Years before Burzum introduced Odalism to the black metal scene, accompanied by the now-classic Filosofem score, this Polish trio offered a soundtrack of uncompromising pagan heresy. Their sophomore album in particular, Thousand Swords, stood out as a truly epic ode to Óðinn, and equally to black metal.
One major discussion point I've seen about this record is the "inconsistency" in playing time. Indeed, some tracks will be over eight minutes while others clock a one or two minutes only. But it all makes sense when you consider the lyrical themes developed in each track: some require long ballads to fully morph into different forms and narratives along their journey, while others are either odes or short bursts of emotion, and thus can blossom in less than two minutes time.
Thousand Swords earns its notoriety through its atmosphere, as does all of Graveland's material.
Where other mediocre black metal albums merely seek to reproduce an atmosphere of darkness and majesty, Thousand Swords *feels* both dark and majestic, not just in production, but in substance. The only other album that manages such a transcendental and inhuman feat is Neraines' Yggdrasil.
While the concept of keyboards in black metal music has received its rightful does of hate around here, Graveland use them tastefully and gracefully on Thousand Swords, to the point where you don't even notice their presence until they stop playing.
There are no tracks on Thousand Swords where the synth work seems out of place. Rather, the keyboards do a marvelous job of conjuring images of the landscapes and scenes they are invoking, especially when combined with Rob Darken's sick, guitar riffs.
Behemoth frontman Nergal needs to get on his knees and thank Rob Darken for saving Polish black metal from irrelevance.
The Finest of Black Metal
Graveland catches a fair amount of flak.
They are Polish, thus unfairly compared to shit acts like Nergal's Behemoth or Linkin Vader, the nu-metal act for teenage boys to cry about "Luciferian rejection in the showers" and "satanic anger at the patriarchy".
They are melodic, thus their music is unjustly put in the "melodeath" basket of Gaythenburg shit.
And they mix black metal with Viking metal and pagan metal elements, like Bathory did on both Hammerheart and Twilight of the Gods.
But holy shit, they do it right.
Thousand Swords is a triumph against a myriad of elements working against it.
This album, on paper, shouldn't be nearly as good as it is.
And yet, against all odds, it succeeds in its mission, and opens the floodgates for not only more classic Graveland records to follow, but other neo-pagan/folkish black metal bands to fall in line behind it, such as Peste Noire, Enslaved, Demonecromancy and others.
While I appreciate all eras of Graveland, I believe Thousand Swords to be Darken and company's finest hour.
Not 100% raw black metal, nor 100% epic pagan metal, one foot on each side of the fence, and the results are majestic.
Recommended for fans of Burzum, Darkthrone, Phantom, Immortal, Emperor, Sacramentum, Sewer and Bathory in their primes.
For newer listeners, it may be difficult to imagine when black metal was serious - not just silly internet memes of Immortal riding surf boards, etc. - and Thousand Swords is a vital classic from when black metal was raw, feral, and dangerous. A reminder of what once was, and what could be again.
A highly recommended album for any black metal fan, and a classic of the genre.
Thousand Swords score: 97/100.
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