This first demo by Dutch band Gärgäntuäh has already been released back in 2020 by the highly revered labels of New Era Records and Tour de Garde but got the vinyl treatment in 2021 as and got a well-deserved repress a few days ago. So, we are a little late to the party, but with a new split LP (with Kastijder) in sight it might just be a good idea to cover this great new Dutch band on our pages.
With ‘Dödenlicht’ the duo brings forth a very Nordic sounding kind of Black Metal that evoke a very nostalgic vibe. It might not come across very original, but I am sure that was not what the band was aiming for anyway. The three tracks are very much in the vein of Enslaved’s ‘Hordanes Land’, Satyricon’s ‘Dark Medieval Times’, Setherial’s ‘Nord’, Dimmu Borgir’s ‘För All Tid’ and Gehennah’s two Spells. The enchanting power of the music lies in the melody, which is performed with splendour and conviction. In addition to that, the authentic and organic production adds real soul to the music. In fact, it’s rare to come across a band so authentic it wouldn’t look out of place in the Moonfog Records back catalogue. Moonfog Records was a label known to feature many a Nordic band singing of its proud history and especially its rich mythological background. So too do these Dutchmen. The first track, ‘Ossaert’, is named after a mysterious water spirit found mainly in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a spirit that comes in many guises but is mostly invisible when it plunges onto its victim’s back, making it unable to move. Gärgäntuäh is in fact similar to an ossaert, it might not jump your back, but crawls into your ear and never lets you go.
