Taakefrost

In my eyes it was always distressing that Nordafrost never get the attention paid, which they had absolutely deserved since the publishing of “Dominus Frigoris”. If possible, the reason is that some ones simply don’t like Heavy Horses Records, that the Westphalians aren’t true enough for other ones and they’re anyway dismissed emotionlessly as useless Dissection-clone by all kinds of bad-mouths. Certainly, the pathbreaking Swedes are inaccessible anywhere. Anyway it seems absolutely insular to me, if one directly raises the disallowing hand to a then quite young combo, which tries to orientate on yon big footprints, just because one needs a bit longer to develop in musical way and also takes up more time to find the own acme.
With “Back To The Shores Of Grey” this might be completely achieved now. Unexpectedly powerful and driven by especially for the listener sensible motivation, Nordafrost now makes a point of proving that re traditional Black/Death they want to do everything else than caving in. Quite the contrary - one operates with exactly that conviction and the élan, which on “North Arise”, for example, lightened through just partially, but then astonished one properly. Also here, this is based on straight tempo and yon pressureful, but anyway acutely frosty overall-sound, which now even presents anymore melodicly, and thus comes up with a decisively higher degree of sound-technical dynamics. So, downright hammer-pieces like “Carnal Worship” with its mightily pounding, yes almost majestic rhythm or the title-track “The Return (Back To The Shores Of Grey)” with yon well known, stormy-cold and anywhere slightly melancholic aura advance to designative columns, which should not only give a new and damn strong self-consciousness to the band, but in my opinion also are absolutely competitive.
Throughout a blood-red fibre on constant high crosses the musical course, there’s really no piece, which in some way appears disappointing or shows weakness towards the entirety. Furthermore, the carriage and four acts a nuance harder, shall mean, technically more aggressive, driven by mighty blast-beats and the thereupon enthroned riff-patterns of hibernal coldness. And if one after all this even enshrines this small sparkle of Swedish nostalgia – why Nordafrost shouldn’t finally be rewarded for their pains?

(8/10)


Northern Metal

Nordafrost strikes back with yet a freezing cold release on HEAVY HORSES RECORDS. Back to the Shores of Grey is the follow-up to “North Arise” from 2004, and comprises 9 tunes filled with frostbitten riffing harking back to prime Norwegian days. The band is clearly influenced by “At the Heart of Winter” era Immortal and Dissection; though they luckily manage to create their own identity, which take in influences from Black Death metal and epic melodies from the pagan underground.

"Back to the Shores of Grey" fits seamless to this style and speed. Guitars are whipping the track ahead, serving grim and cold black/death metal in an old school manner. Short speed arrangements alternate with driving blasts. A raw and frostbitten storm, invoked by these four men, which is simply stunning! There is, however, one major drawback with this release. Back to the Shores of Grey is held from becoming an instant classic due to a poor mix that buries the drums in a tin can underground, and the bass is completely drowned in this rather average production. Give the band a solid recording budget and top notch recording equipments and you will be rewarded with stellar atmospheric and melodic extreme metal from Germany.

"Back to the Shores of Grey" is still an exhilarating listen; with the band meshing double-time death tempos with bleak, frostbitten riffs and moodily expansive, pagan-influenced, melodic instrumental passages sporting an abundance of delicate song structures creating true Nordic atmospheres.

Nordafrost has managed to record an old school album with simple but brutal and appropriately used riffs and a notably malicious sounding vocalist that really catches the spirit of old school melodic black metal.

Metal-Temple

"Back To The Shores Of Grey" is an ’old-school’ album by these German blacksters, but it is not as ’black’ as its artwork may declare. NORDAFROST mix Scandinavian early 90s Black Metal with some Death Metal riffing, providing an album that many may find interesting, while I was not overall that impressed; not that this is a mediocre CD, anyway.

NORDAFROST’s first full-length, "North Arise", saw the light of day, or – better – the gloom of night, in 2004. The blend of ENSLAVED, (epic) IMMORTAL and DISSECTION may be a good description of what NORDAFROST offered back then, but with a rather ’cold’ sound. This year’s sophomore release (again via Heavy Horses Records) does not ’distance’ the band’s sound that much. Svartis’ vocals is again an ’ace’ for the band; he sings misanthropic, without any caress, and spits out frozen fire rapidly. His vocals in mid-tempo or up-tempo parts is adequate, too, unveiling some ’lurking’ classic Metal patterns. The guitars, on the other hand, are accurate and distorting, with a tendency in fast ’lightning’ playing, but did not electrify me; rather average riffing formulas...

The rhythm section could be even better, since the bass/drums parts do sound a little ’behind’ in the mix. Still, even from the background, the blastbeats are sharp enough while the bass fills in up-tempo parts are rather inspiring. As for the songwriting, a couple of info has already been given. Especially the Black-with-some-Death DISSECTION paths are quite visible, not only it the songs stractures but also in the tempos’ coherence. Still, I would not refer to NORDAFROST being a ’clone’, since they’ve efficiently adopted a more northern sound with enough references to the early 90s Black Metal base (while "Aversion" even crosses the ’evil’ Thrash borders).

Dunno how many good releases can an average semi-’retro’ Scandinavian Black/Death fan expect in year 2008. If not many, then "Back To The Shores Of Grey" is an album he/she can trust, possibly. Checking the quartet’s official website and MySpace page, so as to take a glimpse of a couple of tracks off this new album, will surely help. I kinda liked the album; nothing thrilling, but I liked it.

7/10 - good


Metal France

Seuls peu d'entre nous connaissent le groupe répondant au doux nom de Nordafrost, pourtant, ce groupe tout droit venu des terres allemandes dispose de toutes les qualités pour faire un bon gros Black Metal.

C'est en 2008 que le jeune label Heavy Horses Records permet la réalisation de "Back To The Shores Of Grey", album de Black pur et dur.
Personnellement l'écoute de ce méfait m'a fait énormément de bien, il s'agit ici non pas d'une galette comme il en existe des tas, non. Bien au contraire c'est un album qui nous ramène aux racines de la vague Black Metal, depuis trop longtemps perverties de tas de claviers, de chants féminins et autres artifices.
En effet ce sont la brutalité, l'agressivité, les atmosphères ultra pesantes et les mélodies malsaines si chères au Black dont il est question d'un bout à l'autre de l'album.

Un total de neuf titres soit environ 45 minutes de plaisir musical. Décrire plus en détail ? Si je voulais je pourrais faire une analyse titre par titre seulement ça m'étonnerai que vous la lisiez jusqu'au bout. De même, il n'y a pas meilleur juge que soit même... CQFD... Du blast, des guitares glaciales, un chant guttural à souhait, une ambiance lourde et un concentré d'énergie sont autant de qualités incombant à Nordafrost sans pour autant être dans la mesure de toutes les énumérées.

C'est un de mes coups de coeur et il saura sans problème plaire aux fans du genre ainsi qu'aux autres chevelus.

(4/5)


Voices from the dark side

In music as in history everything is coming back and sometimes you are more less annoyed when bands are taking their inspiration from old gods without adding really something unique but there are also releases when a big smile is coming over your face and you think about the good old times. NORDAFROST and their second releases "Back To The Shores Of Grey" is definitely a type B album (the one with the smile) in the vein of old DESASTER (without the medieval influences from their first three releases) and it's really kicking ass. Can't avoid to add that their Black / Thrash with the underground sound, grey cover etc. is maybe to some degrees more DESASTER in 2008 than the original themselves. NORDAFROST's Black / Thrash Metal sounds fresh (without offering really something new) and the music is pre-destined to be presented live in a dark, small and smelly place and if this place is in the northern part of our republic meet me in the first line. This is fucking Metal so bang your head!


Pull the chain

In music as in history everything is coming back and sometimes you are more less annoyed when bands are taking their inspiration from old gods without adding really something unique but there are also releases when a big smile is coming over your face and you think about the good old times. NORDAFROST and their second releases "Back To The Shores Of Grey" is definitely a type B album (the one with the smile) in the vein of old DESASTER (without the medieval influences from their first three releases) and it's really kicking ass. Can't avoid to add that their Black / Thrash with the underground sound, grey cover etc. is maybe to some degrees more DESASTER in 2008 than the original themselves. NORDAFROST's Black / Thrash Metal sounds fresh (without offering really something new) and the music is pre-destined to be presented live in a dark, small and smelly place and if this place is in the northern part of our republic meet me in the first line. This is fucking Metal so bang your head!


Metalbite

Flying the flag of metal from Germany, Nordafrost explodes out with unadulterated Black/Death metal that is intense to the maximum. Grunting and grinding vocals and rapid attack guitars fly out and seem to ravage your mind with it’s sheer power... all of that and more form the basis for a band that is definitely going to turn a few heads in the Metal world.

With melodies that truly do stick in your head as the corrosive power of heaviness melts your cerebellum, they cruise through there first full length album like a band bent on procuring your soul for their collection. The faster parts are so impressive and proposes that it can crush steel, it is when Nordafrost suddenly takes their foot off the accelerator and slows it down a little, that is where these guys shine. Those little breaks from the fury exactly show the bands limitless talents.

Melodic and heavy, they literally pulverizes through your senses and slips a knockout punch that you are actually wanting to get. This is not your older brother’s metal... not even close to it. When hearing songs like Carnal Worship and Aversion... you can’t help but see how well put together it is, and notice their passion and perfection they do it with. They simply do ooze what it is that Death/Black Metal is all about, and wave that flag high and proud.

It is so damned good to see a first album come out so strong and tight, so it is a no-brainer that I am looking forward to seeing what these people can do on future records. I will wait, and I will wait... it will be worth seeing what the evolution of Nordafrost will bring.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Originality: 8
Overall: 8

Rating: 8