The songwriting here stems from the roots of 90s black metal: think Dissection and Dark Funeral. The production quality ensures ferocity in the opening track ‘The Formless Fires’. It begins with blistering tremolo-picked riffs and blast beats fitting perfectly. Stuffed full of guitar solos and melodic riffing, the musicianship on the third album is amazing and catchy. Jacob Björnfot (guitars, vocals, and drums) is obsessed with a band like Dissection. In the next track the guitars deliver grooves, but there are many tempo changes.

Melodies and riffs are the highlights of this album and they follow the Swedish methods, complex melodies are emphasized on ‘Traverse the Nether’ which features guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt. The drumming work combines fast blast beats and aggressive attacks, boasting hooks and memorable moments. The fast sections are crucial and full of powerful drumming patterns.

‘Tornets Sång’ is a blackened scorcher. However, Kvaen brings something fresh to fans and when it comes to black metal melodies, each song shows the songwriting genius throughout the thirty-nine minutes. The atmosphere is injected into the music,  in which Jacob Björnfot‘s skills are widely showcased and while the melodies meander through the cold landscapes, the quality is so outstanding. It comes together flawlessly as each instrument feels well-balanced.

While the opening track propelled itself into a furious style of black metal the later songs are more retrospective. They recall the early years of Swedish melodic black metal a la The Moaning, A Canorous Quintet and Naglfar. Of course, the melodies, the guitar solos and the riffs are very much focused: showcasing the trait of bridging the old-school black metal melodies with the modern style.

The epic guitar intro in the track ‘The Ancient Gods’ carves old-school melodic death metal riffs that are similar to bands like Unanimated and A Canorous Quintet. The scorning vocals spitfire. Having said that, the album features drummer Fredrik Andersson who fulfills his drumming skills perfectly. ‘The Formless Fire’ has its style in the discography and the music ranges within  mid-tempo melodic black metal where lead guitar layered sections add some extra spice to the scorching riffs.

The impulsive stomper ‘Basilisk’ is one of the highlight songs besides the opening track: the riffs are packed with tremolo-picked riffs; even the bass guitar contributes to the blistering guitar solos.

The aggression and the drumming are such that you’ll be head-banging. There is a certain niche that makes the third album stands on its pedestal, and the repeated guitar melodies and the tempo trudges in a bouncy fast manner. My only criticism is that some of the songs lack that furious speed. Another epic song is ‘De Dödas Sång’ which has the footprints of Bathory and Dissection: it begins with an acoustic intro with the riffs sounding catchy. You can discern the mix of melo death and black metal when listening to the guitar harmonies and  the riffs makes most of the hooks on this catchy track.

‘The Perpetual Darkness’ offers a great performance with its heaviness and classic Scandinavian melodies; Heavy chords and tremolos burst in a melodic grandiosity keeping the listener at edge and torn between beautiful guitar patterns, steady drumming and towering lead guitars. The coherent song structures keep the final track ‘The Wings of Death’ consistent and intriguing.

The song follows the formula by adding an atmospheric feel as there is an equal harmony between the methods of melodic black and death metal. The guitar riffs and the blast beast add something extraordinary to the closure. The tremolo melodies bring shrills down your spine with the raspy vocals and layered solos inflecting an atmospheric mood of majesty emphasizing an array of styles.

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