Band:	Dråpsnatt
Album:	Hymner Till Undergången
Style:	Atmospheric black metal, Pagan black metal
Release date:	June 04, 2010
A review by:	Troy Killjoy

01. En Ensam Sol Går Ner
02. Arvssynd
03. Dråpsnatt
04. Mannen I Min Spegel
05. Somna In
06. Ve Er
07. Tonerna De Klinga
08. En Besvuren Plats
09. Gästen

Atmospheric / melodic black metal
Sweden
Frostscald Records

Line-up on the CD:
Vinterfader & Narstrand - all music


Sweden's dirty little secret (and Frostscald's hidden gem) Dråpsnatt are quickly working their way into becoming another top-level experimental black metal outfit, along with bands such as Arcturus, Borknagar, Solefald and Ulver. With their intense mixture of synth-laden emotive black metal and Nemesis Divina-esque grimness, fans of both raw and melodic black metal will find something to enjoy in the band's growing discography.

Hymner Till Undergången, Dråpsnatt's second release, takes on a more adventurous approach than I Denna Skog, at times venturing through inventive landscapes a la Aspera Hiems Symfonia while holding fast to more debilitating song structures with a thick-as-concrete production. The drums carry a whale of weight throughout the course of the album, providing the ghastly screams with so much backbone even the quadriplegic corpse of Christopher Reeve would have been able to stand up and walk right out of the studio. There are instances where clean vocals are used (surprisingly well I might add), but overall their use is so minimal you barely remember them come album's end.

Normally albums drenched in keyboard passages come across as cheesy or "false", especially given the genre (looking at you Dimmu), but Dråpsnatt ensure the inclusion of said passages augment the grandiose atmosphere, not hinder it. Granted, there are moments of annoyance when the band forgets to return to form, making the songs seem like loosely organized jam sessions, but the lack of direction makes for a more spontaneous feel.

All in all, this album is a simple - but strong - release that benefits from two veteran musicians with realistic expectations just putting mind to music and letting the rest work itself out. Where I Denna Skog suffered from holding back too much, Hymner Till Undergången embraces experimentation and challenges the boundaries of black metal as a whole without being submerged in a sea of pretension.


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