“You shall love peace as a means to new wars.” ~ Nietzsche
At long last, a new black metal group, outside of Trondheim, worth praising has emerged — Lömsk. Hailing from Sweden, Lömsk officially unleashed their debut effort, the four-song EP Act I on November 1, courtesy of Vendetta Records. The video for the penultimate number and first single, “Spetälsk,” the lyrics to which were penned by Stefan Lundberg, dropped before, however, as a precursor to the full assault to follow. Concealed by gas masks, the unknown soldiers behind Lömsk prove victors in the battle to restore uncompromising aggression to extreme music.
Melding ethereal beauty with raw violence for a divine audial display of celestial yet also very concrete bloodshed, Lömsk has infused their art with the Gothenburg aptitude for crafting intoxicating melodies. Touched by orchestral components, Lömsk boasts an epic feeling. Cultivating gripping and immersive atmospheres certainly amounts to one of Lömsk’s strong suits.
While Lömsk, of course, bears the flame of the essence of black metal, this outfit is not typical of the style. Rather, Act I reflects Lömsk’s unique identity. The raspy vocals, projecting the physical strength of an iron will, sound more as if they are shouted from the trenches than by a black metal frontman. Take Lömsk to the gym and allow its unrelenting and resilient sonic bullets to push you onward.
Besides being quite obviously influenced by other black metal acts and the theme of war, as Lömsk explained to Lelahel Metal, the ensemble incorporates inspiration from cinema itself and film music, and indeed Act I could be mistaken for a soundtrack.
In addition, Lömsk draws from the classical genre. They are even influenced by philosophers, such as Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, and Marcus Aurelius. The title of the fist in the face of weakness that is “The Eternal Return” is a clear a reference to one of these great thinkers. This composition includes siren-like noises, which are just subtle enough to pack much power, whereas too many groups overdo effects these days.
Despite their anonymity, it seems apparent that those behind Lömsk have much experience, and we assume that Act I must be the product of years of dedication to the metallic arts. In no way does Act I feel like a debut. Exceptionally balanced, Act I is polished in the right places without the sacrifice of brutality or character. All seems to have gone well with the production. Robert Kukla at Obsidian Recording Studios handled mastering. Kukla has lent his expertise to heavyweights as HammerFall and Dimmu Borgir.
Already, Lömsk is planning to conquer audiences. Their first two shows are scheduled for mid-December at Stockholm’s Klubb Fredagsmangel and Norrköping’s Stopet Rockbar. The explosive Lömsk stands poised to quickly build a solid international fanbase.
(Order Lömsk’s Act I here or here.)
