Band:	Svart
Album:	Förlorad
Style:	Depressive black metal, Funeral doom metal
Release date:	March 20, 2010
A review by:	Troy Killjoy

01. Förlorad I (Lost I)
02. Förlorad II (Lost II)
03. Förlorad III (Lost III)

Funeral doom metal
Sweden
Frostscald Records

Line-up on the CD:
Draug - vocals, all instruments


In a surprising turn of events, Draug's expressive outlet, Svart, has morphed from a bland depressive black metal band into a mesmerizing funeral doom monster with the release of Förlorad. In this release you won't find the out-of-place blastbeats, the unfitting production value, nor the individualistic journey approach of Våran Tid Är Förbi that left its listeners in the dark. Instead Draug chose to maintain the burdensome atmosphere and to eliminate the elements that intruded on his aspirations. Yet, while the daunting atmosphere remains, the album presents a more minimalistic approach and builds on the repetition found on Svart's earlier releases, making for a more complete - and consequently enjoyable - listen.

While we're on the subject of change, it should be understood that Förlorad is a more genuine output by the workaholic Swede, and within the bowels of its hypnotic foundation you will discover a slow-paced destruction of self, which gathers much of its flair from the limitation of Draug's vocals. This allows the listener to focus more extensively on the instrumentation, which in my opinion is Draug's defining asset. Förlorad isn't completely devoid of his delightfully deep growls, but they are used in such restricted capacity that the 75 minutes it takes to successfully listen to the album will pass by without any memory of Draug's guttural expression. There are moments where Draug's clean vocals (usually more along the lines of spoken word) come out - a welcome addition by my ears. There is a hidden relaxation in his voice, like he knows something terrible is about to happen but enjoys giving it to us in a riddle that can't be solved.

Svart's presentation on this album is that of pure negativity and droning self-hatred. In addition to its already bleak outlook, Förlorad manages to construct an aura of passionate hopelessness. All that remains at the end is a bitter feeling of isolation and emptiness, one that Draug ensures this time around will be a mutual suffering.


Website: http://www.myspace.com/svartband