Band:	Shining
Album:	IV - The Eerie Cold
Style:	Depressive black metal
Release date:	February 20, 2005
A review by:	Lucas

01. I Och Med Insikt Skall Du Förgå
02. Vemodets Arkitektur
03. Någonting Är Jävligt Fel
04. Eradication Of The Condition
05. The Eerie Cold (Samvetskvalens Ridå Öppnades)
06. The Claws Of Perdition

In my hands I am holding the fourth album of one of the most controversial bands of the underground Black Metal scene: Shining. I guess this band doesn't need an introduction, since it is one of the more known bands in the Black Metal underground. They've earned that fame and their reputation with some outstanding albums and their controversy.

They surely deserve a place in every Black Metal collection with their album The Eerie Cold. This album is a mix of Burzum-esque riffing and vocals (without being an obvious clone) and slow-paced, utter black moments of despair. It has the blessing of good production, which puts all the instruments in the right place and most important of all: they are all audible. Yes, even the bass is audible and quite enjoyable as well. There are some awesome melodies to be found if one listens carefully (intro of the second track, for example.) The album starts off with 'I Och Med Insikt Skall Du Förgå' (translated as 'Because of Insight You Shall Vanish'). It has a slow intro with a slow-paced guitar solo lingering over easy-going drums. This shows how versatile this band has become, they mix rock and roll influences with the darkest of black metal. After that, a vicious guitar riff takes the lead. Combined with the catchy drum work and haunting keyboards this setts the perfect mood for a misanthropic adventure. Then Kvarforth's ripping vocals enter the mutilation chamber. He has the perfect hateful and tortured voice for this type of music. After a while the piano takes the song over and the acoustic guitar comes around again. This is the greatest strength of Shining, the very natural way of combining dark black metal with acoustic passages. The rest of the songs are just as good as the first one, except for one: The Eerie Cold (Samvetskvalens Ridå Öppnades). The Swedish part can be translated, so I've been told, to "The Curtains Of Remorse Were Opened".

This particular song is so beautiful that it deserves a special mention. The entire track consists of slow-paced guitar strumming and a good rhythm section. It sounds so simple, yet it grabs you by your depressed balls and doesn't let you go. The length and repetition makes it extremely available for getting into a 'trance', until you are disturbed by some spoken vocals. The speech that you will hear is so incredibly sad and painful; it is a hard burden to bear. Even though Kvarforth has good English pronunciation, the vocals are so close to breaking down into crying it is hard to understand some particular words. The effect of it is ever so convincing though! Every time I hear this particular part I feel like ending my own life on the spot with a rusty knife.

So what is there left to say about this album? If you are a fan of black metal, this band is definitely one you must check out, if you haven't heard them already.