Shining – VI – Klagopsalmer

Lately I have been getting back into DSBM (Depressing, Suicidal Black Metal for the uninitiated) after an initial inkling for it was created by Forgotten Tomb a few years ago. Being a huge fan of dark and depressing music in general, Shining always seemed to stick out at being one of the essential bands when talking soul-crushing, good-god-kill-me-now music. I finally got around to hearing the Swede’s latest full-length, VI – Klagopsalmer (Hymns of Lament) in an attempt to find out what all the fuss is about.

While I can’t say I’m disappointed, this certainly was not what I was expecting. For a band where the vocalist advocates suicide and once disappeared (presumed dead), the lyrical delivery (and music in general) is incredibly, for want of a better word, happy… Well, happy by black metal standards; these guys aren’t Dragonforce.
The album begins with a very groove oriented, intricately composed track, which is where I was first caught off guard. Having first experienced DSBM through the excellent “Songs to Leave”, I was expecting atmosphere and a sense of desolation created by repetitive, simple, but emotionally charged riffs. Instead, it’s party music, the third track being the main “offender” in this respect. Presenting very energetic riffing and soloing split up by Swallow the Sun-like, doom-infused passages, topped off by a monster of a solo from the song is extreme metal by the book, albeit shrouded in pitch-black darkness.

I suppose the crux of the matter is that VI – Klagopsalmer feels more like a doom record than anything close to black metal but putting genre aside, it has to be said that this is a damn good album. The production is top-notch; the guitars and riffing are solid; the bass is ever present, doing exactly what it should and the drumming backs everything up perfectly. Kvaforth’s vocals are solid as well, although they feel pretty standard by black metal conventions – there is even some clean singing here and there.

I don’t know if Shining are moving towards eventual salvation (even with song titles like Totally Fucking Dead Inside or Crushed Dreams and Broken Promises) with this album, since the band has stated that it should be considered an “experimental interlude”, because there is very little depressing about it. I want to try and get hold of their back catalog to validate this, or maybe it’s just because I’m not Swedish and do not understand the lyrics. VI – Klagopsalmer is a great album, but (and I’ve always wanted to say this) it’s just not depressing enough.

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