Synkvervet - Trollspeil (CD Review)

01.Horns Of Vengeance
02.The Horde
03.Breathtaking
04.Inner Sanctum
05.Marenatt
06.Ektet I Elven
07.Hulderlokk
08.Clearwater Diamonds
09.Angelfall
10.Vandrer Heden

Ingemar (Guitar/Bass/Programming)
Truls (Vocals)
Christina (Vocals)
Niclas (Vocals)
Rino (Drums)
Espen (Guitar)

Synkvervet from Norway, started out as a one-man studio project by Ingemar in the
fall of 2011. The name means illusion and comes from the Old Norse sagas.
Originally Synkvervet was supposed to be a pure instrumental project, but it didn’t
take long before he realized that the project needed vocals.
Not being much of avocalist, he called in his friend and band colleague Truls and together they created the mysterious, trollish and aggressive folk sound.

They released their debut album "Vår Avmakt" in the winter of 2013.
A few months later Truls and Ingemar started working on a new album and decided
to bring in a drummer and a guitar player.
During the recording of the new album, Christina and Niclas were invited as guest vocalists on a few tracks they soon joined full time.

So having given this album a first listen I was somewhat taken back by the overall quality of the sound and at the same time slightly confused.
From the blurb supplied by the band I was expecting a "mysterious, trollish and aggressive folk sound", but thats not what I heard at all, no this is something much grander this is Symphonic Black Metal with acid-folk undertones and frankly its awesome stuff!

Lets take 'Horns Of Vengeance', starts with military style drums over chorus vocal and classical synth programming, then a scream of pure black metal comes in over hyper drums and mid tempo riff like Cradle/Dimmu all in one.Then gets symphonic with a clever timing change and we are now in early Tristania territory, then back to black metal riffs and then ending with a mixture of both styles no folk anywhwere to be heard.

'Inner Sanctum' represents a different approach, still symphonic but with a superb clean almost operatic vocal then later joined by the darker vocals to create a wonderful dual vocal attack on the ears! Oh and not to forget some great piano playing two thirds in to add another layer.

Finally get to hear some female vocals singing as opposed to creating those beautiful harmonys in 'Hulderlokk', another great symphonic track blending Black Metal elemnents to perfection.

The last song 'Vandrer Heden' seems to bring every element together, its operatic, dark, symphonic and brutal, each seemingly taking its turn to create a near masterpiece of musical delights.

I love this album, it's nothing short of perfect, this band is unsigned? really then this must prove that the best bands somehow get overlooked, this needs to change and soon, there is a world out there that needs to hear this.

Rating 10/10
For Fans Of: Therion, Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Ebonylake