I received the promo for this material some time ago but after listening to it a couple of times I decided to let it aside a bit. Recently I have picked it up again and gave it a thorough and proper listen. For those who do not know, this EP (or demo?) has been released by Shadow Records in November last year in several formats (cd, LP and tape). In case you wonder, Lifvsleda hails from Sweden but that is basically all what is known about this band. And trust me when I tell you that you do not need to know more. The EP has four songs, named I – IV and goes a bit over 15 minutes.
Lifvsleda plays black metal in the old way, just how I like it. On this EP the band goes straight to the point and creates an atmosphere that will eventually put you in various moods, depending on your state of mind.
The music is violent, introspective, sometimes even grim, but the final result is an exquisite voyage into darkness. There are 3 tracks which alternate between mid-paced tempos and furious blast beats, while the guitars pierce your heart with their ice cold riffs.
The fourth track is the slowest and the most atmospheric on this EP. It is the perfect closure of this debut material which kind of appeared out of nowhere, but which was there from the very beginning, buried somewhere deep, waiting to be released.
The production is very good ( I love how the bass guitar sounds, especially on I) and the sound is very organic. Some eerie keyboards can also be heard sporadically as they spread an “evil” touch over the songs. This gives the whole material an aura of mysticism and melancholy similar to other great releases of the 90’s – 00’s period.
It’s already been announced that later this year (September 11th, more exactly) the band will release its first album, which is an amazing news. If this EP was that good, I really wonder how a Lifvsleda full length will sound like.
Lifvsleda – Manifest MMXIX EP tracklist:
I – II – III – IV
Band contact:
https://www.facebook.com/lifvsleda/
https://www.instagram.com/lifvsleda
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