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Kiira / Svartsejd – Kiira / Svartsejd [Split]

kiira / svartsejd – kiira / svartsejd [split]

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The bands Svartsejd and Kiira are far from strangers from each other. Although they were formed separately in 2010 and 2011 respectively and even originate from different countries, their paths led to this split in more than just one way. For one, they are both part of the Avgrundsklanger circle, but also since 2018 Svartsejd main figure Hrabnaz is part of Kiira. To make their bond even more complete, we find Kiira’s mastermind Käärmeenkieli acting as a session drummer for the Svartsejd track of this EP. In other words, two tracks with the same people in different compositions and different entities.

That the music between both bands differs musically is clear. Kiira released this track on the back of their ‘Tulkoon Yö / Talviyö’ album, an album filled with atonal and hypnotizing Finnish Black Metal with a depressive and suffocating atmosphere. On this split they deliver the track ‘Routatuulet’, whose folky starting harmony serves as a prelude for a song that sounds grittier and rawer than on the preceding album. Stylistically the hypnotizing and repetitive use of riffs are preserved, but there is overall more pace and diversity to the song, and it sounds less suffocating than on the album. In hindsight, due to this different tone and a bit more obvious melody, ‘Routatuulet’ provides somewhat of a bridge between the band’s debut album and the follow-up full-length that came in 2023. But more on that in a separate review.

‘Att Andas in Död’ is the song on this split contributed by Svartsejd. It marks the second song released by the band thus far, following their only previous release, a split with Vothana. Without hearing that prior work (the archive of internet does not seem to contain the sound of this material), the style based on this split is mid-paced Scandinavian Black Metal, with drums that continuously adhere to the same tempo while simple and somewhat atonal riffs dictate the choking atmosphere of the music. The depressive ring to the song make it distinct from the Kiira contribution, but mastering the art of writing mesmerizing riffs is what unites both bands on this split.

Two songs showing the strength of the Avgrundsklanger circle, with Kiira providing a bridge between their two full-length albums and with Svartsejd delivering their second released track so far. This is a split well worth your time and support.

Kiira

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