Om hundrede år
Om hundrede år lets Afsky do more with black metal than express anger. The raw voice and fast guitars remain fierce, but the melodies also offer warmth and sadness. Ole Luk's project connects acoustic calm with heavy outbursts without making those sides feel like separate styles placed next to each other.
Stormfulde hav makes a simple, sorrowful guitar theme do considerable work. Its picture of nature connects with a melody that mainly communicates vulnerability. Emotion consequently comes from more than the screaming voice.
Tak for alt finds gratitude within the same rough setting. Det der var turns towards lost love. These subjects give the sadness different meanings. The album does not sound as though every song reaches exactly the same kind of despair. It also makes room to value what exists or once existed.
Changes of pace support that approach. Fast passages can fall back into quieter guitar sections before the music gathers force again. Acoustic sounds enlarge the album's world and give its melodies another colour. Despite the abrupt force of some outbursts, the music remains easy to follow as a whole.
Not every transition is equally careful. A few bare guitar breaks and sudden endings make the development less smooth than it could be. Afsky also change their musical approach only modestly. The main gain lies in the conviction with which those established tools are used.
That proves enough for a strong album. The six tracks maintain a recognisable atmosphere while allowing several different feelings inside it. Om hundrede år is melodic without surrendering its edge and heavy without disappearing into complete darkness. This is black metal with a clearly human heart.
