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Tulus – Fandens Kall

tulus – fandens kall

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With the release of ‘Fandens Kall’ the Norwegian zealots of Tulus have released more albums after their return in 2006 than in their first period that is widely considered as their prime. Although, in all honesty, the offered albums prior their folding in the year 2000 have a bit more to offer than anything released after, I always felt that the band never got the attention that they might have deserved. Especially their first two ‘comeback’ albums are massively overlooked. And I do mean not so much in the sense of that they are much better than how they are generally received, but more that people hardly have noticed these two records in the first place.

Anyway, with ‘Fandens Kall’, which translate loosely to ‘Hell’s Calling’, the Norwegian three-pieces adds another chapter to their Black Metal journey that seems to be on an ever-changing course. Those who have heard some of the band’s more recent releases must have concluded that they have strayed away quite a bit from the more standard Norwegian Black Metal nature of their classic first two albums, ‘Pure Black Energy’ (1996) and ‘Mysterion’ (1998). Opting for a more rocking, bass-heavy sound with a clear and distinct industrial/mechanical feel to it.

That musical direction has clearly been continued on ‘Fandens Kall’, the Black Metal trademark blast beats and sharp edged riffs are definitively traded for a more clinical, rocking sound. Not all too far removed from that turn Mayhem tried out with their ‘Grand Declaration Of War’ album from the year 2000 or Satyricon took with their ‘Rebel Extravaganza’ album in 1999 and onwards. But, frankly, Tulus anno 2023 does sound most like Khold. Not too strange, since that is basically the same band. Although Khold’s latest album was not the most intense or innovative, their rocking energy and persistence in walking their own path is more than admirable. The same thing can, to a large extent, be said about Tulus. Tulus is, however, reaching further than Khold did in their attempt to widen their view on the Black Metal genre. That is reached not only with the album’s predominantly slow paced tracks, in which the bass guitar takes a prominent role, but even some folky acoustics, the use of piano or some sporadic female vocals (like on ‘Sjelesmerte’) do add to the creative character of the album.

The Motörhead-like bass rumbling is definitely catchy at times and increasingly forms the band’s solid foundation on which they build their songs, take a listen to the aforementioned ‘Sjelesmerte’ to firmly get your boat rocked. But the dynamics in the tracks are far more diverse than Khold, making it an overall fresher experience. Direct comparisons to Khold, or any other band for that matter, is not all too needed, but on the other hand it is almost inevitable. But, regardless of how you look or listen to Tulus and ‘Fandens Kall’ in particular, that factor of admiration is still very much in play. In today’s Black Metal scene, Tulus takes quite a unique position, offering something quite contrary to the trends of contemporary Black Metal.

Tulus

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