__________.____ ______________________________ .__ _______ ________ \______ \ | \_ _____/\_ _____/\______ \ |__|\ \ / _____/ | | _/ | | __)_ | __)_ | | \| |/ | \/ \ ___ | | \ |___ | \ | \ | ` \ / | \ \_\ \ |______ /_______ \/_______ //_______ //_______ /__\____|__ /\______ / \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ artist: Skjolden title: Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur year: 2025 genre: Black Metal type: Album label: Independent language: English rel. date: 2025-06-20 source: WEB/MP3 quality: CBR 320kbps / 44.1 kHz / Full Stereo runtime: 00:33:58 size: 84.87 MB rip date: 2025-06-22 source url: https://www.deezer.com/album/754537731 tracklist: 1. In Resplendent Obscurity 4:48 2. The Fever Swamp Of Magickal Thought 5:43 3. Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur 6:23 4. Keeper Of The Silent Heart 3:47 5. While Dying 3:58 6. Can't Kill My Love 4:46 7. Narthex Terminus 4:33 release notes: Overflowing from idle hands unto surrealistic transcendental encounter Minneapolis, Minnesota-based solo melodic black metal project SKJOLDEN introduces itself with a depth charge of memorably struck riffs and eerily resonant cacophony on this nightsky gazing debut full-length album. Through familiar signature craft 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur' grants the ear instant rapport, access to the illustrative and reaching envision of the artist as they go readily crashing through this half hour+ exploration in seven pieces. Aglow with stellarly keys and thunderous within the gallop of its weighty rhythmic layering this humble enough self-directed venture easily hooks into ear per its inspired melodious thrust. Skjolden was created by Carl Skildum (Inexorum, Majesties, Antiverse) in late 2024 as a personal side-project which has thus far been entirely self-directed in terms of composition, performance, curation and render. Named for an ancestral village and comprised of riff-built pieces during a period of downtime this project not only kinda confirms at least two of the fellowe's main bands have new albums in the works but provides something substantial, relevant to any fan's interests in the interim. The style is melodic black metal which defies an exacting semblance of 'old school' or ultramodern ideation though I would suggest there are fewer late 90's melodic death metal riffs here compared to 'Equinox Vigil' and especially 'Vast Reaches Unclaimed'. There is little chance that you'll not like this record if you're already a fan of Skildum's related bands, unless the use of programmed drums grinds your gears. Even if I were to take the sternest stance possible and consider the material on 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur' a collection of leftovers, riff detritus glowed up into magickal formae, we must consider the realm of solo melodic black/death metal acts the world over and -will- ultimately find the majority of said arena lacking in any comparable knack for layered arrangement or personalized style. That resonance and a taste for affecting melodies which draws from both tradition and a uniquely layered conception of the artist's own is more-or-less Skildum's signature, unmissable here if you've spent any serious time with Inexorum or Majesties. This variant still places the guitars front and center, shoves the vocals down in a bunker too, but now also brings in keyboards/synthesizers to include "additional color and lead elements" for these songs. Their inclusion is subtle yet profound in the sense that it adds to the dueling lead voice of this highly melodious work but also the atmospheric rouse of Skolden, an overall differently angled tonal emission which is most pronounced on the first half. Skildum's arrangements typically involve four rhythm guitar voicings composed with the hand of a choir director, staggering and harmonizing pieces of his own intricate design into beauteous and dramatically shot statement. While some of these arcs linger in refrain and others circle back toward a major hook of some sort most songs do both, connecting to the listener through at least one "hard rock" structured statement per song. This makes for infectious melodic metal which is essentially rooted in the breakthroughs of the mid-90's as black and death metal found some sophistication beyond an 80's centric thrash and heavy metal education. The first three songs on 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur' are anthemic in this sense, riveting in their pipeline-riding roll through surges of riffs at a quickened, dramatic swipe. The vocals are incredibly low for my own taste on opener "In Resplendent Obscurity", though cranking the volume only enhances the immersive folds of the layers on display. Taking a closer look at the clash beyond the electric organesque keys ~2:27 minutes in, the tension'd dance of the rhythm guitar detail at that mark speaks to the clever hand of the guitarist as any given movement leads somewhere downstream and back to the gratification of all those guitars falling together at once into their righteous hook of a main riff. There are many details to peck at otherwise, such as the distorted keys that open the album, but the general effect is sweeping, impatient and fitting enough as introduction to something slightly more black metallic in Skolden's hands. The up front skull-grippers, the songs that'd inspired many a repeat listen came with "The Fever Swamp of Magickal Thought" and of course the inescapable soar of the title track. The former is both cacophonic and richly melodious, a zephyrous bluster that finds its focus beneath glowing keys, the latter is arguably a bit more Majesties-leaning in the presentation of its leading harmony up front which serves as an undeniable hook on my part. Though the use of keyboards/synth has already been a point of marvel up 'til that point it was "Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur" that'd pushed their incorporation to a higher standard in some sense, no only as more frequent stellarly accompaniment but also nearly two full minutes of cosmic-ray soaked keys which essentially play out the conclusion of Side A. Again, those first three pieces should be enough to charm any devout fan of melodic black/death metal and especially if you're more likely to focus on the guitar work as main directive. Much as I appreciate the impact of the first half of this album on the first ten or so spins each of these seven songs found some manner of angle into brain over time, even the sort of modern melodeath jig n' thrash of "Keeper of the Silent Heart" works as a brief hit of speed in the context of the full listen. The bigger surprise was probably "Can't Kill My Love" which, despite bearing a song title fitting for a clandestine Kiss album in the mid-80's, manages to be a standout piece per a well-developed lead guitar thread in its first half. The second half of the ~34 minute ride doesn't quite build upon the first three pieces in an equally exciting way but ultimately delivers a consistent, full-length apropos thought. For my own taste Skjolden generates some admirable inspiration and generally memorable work despite being a side-project, a "bedroom" black metal deal created from lingering riff ideas. The lot of 'Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur' is a bit front-loaded for my own taste (and a human drummer would've been rad) yet it yields an above-average work, a record which isn't just succinct but efficient in delivering the hooks and odd resonances of the artist's hand without tasking the ear with the muck of typical ideation. Is it a bit too close to two of the fellowe's other projects? Sure, to some degree the humming reach of Skildum's work is exceedingly familiar in technique though as a fan this album was enough of a new angle that I see potential for further distinction wherever it may go in the future. Otherwise the inspired and sincere tone of this album sells itself, particularly to fans of the sub-genre, as a feat which might not be hard as nails or darker than thou but still finds a plane above-and-beyond the norm via appreciable self-directed action. A high recommendation. -- MystificationZine.com