Kthulhu – “Hymnis Nigrum” EP

I woke up this morning, and was sick as a dog. Mucus streaming down my nostrils, itchy throat like someone lined the inside of my vocal chords with sandpaper, eyes puffy from swollen sinuses… Just a clusterfuck of sick… I had a record in my queue… I sat down with tea… a little whisky, and turned my computer on. I looked like a character from a Lovecraft novel.

 

Kthulhu’s Hymnis Nigrum popped up in my inbox. “Death Rides” was the first track, the 38 second guitar intro gave me hope. At second 39, lead vocalist Alexander Nylander gutted his vocal chords over the airwaves, and my sinuses were instantly cleared by the almost tangible sound. The Swedish trio building a wall of sound to send into battle.

 

I don’t know much about Kthulhu, but I do know that the gifted musicians harken back to 80’s thrash, with a sprinkle of black metal that leaves the listener wanting more. “Blood Trance” is a head-bobbing punch in the throat. “Final Funeral” showcases the fury of drummer Johan Granath’s skills. “Through the Black Vessels” shows the band’s depth moves beyond the Black metal that they are known. The term “Swedish Metal” brings with it a host of visuals that aren’t easily defined. Kthulhu’s Hymnis Nigrum is a good record, and may be the long lost cure for the common cold…. Or I may be a host for a demon-like entity. Doesn’t matter as long as I’m not coughing.