This is a welcoming surprise falling suddenly from the burning black metal skies. After seventeen years of deep silence Trelldom releases their fourth and newest album …By The Shadows… into this morbid world. The mastermind behind this Norwegian black metal project is nobody else than Kristian Eivind Espedal, better known as Gaahl, former vocalist of the legendary black metal band Gorgoroth and God Seed. Ghaal’s lifeline is drenched in controversiality which probably had a huge influence on his musical career.
With Ghaals WYRD he was already experimenting with avant-garde and introducing deeper psychedelic approaches in his black metal infused creations. So, the album …By The Shadows… shows us a new Trelldom, still whirling in its black metal roots but producing a more creative and atmospheric avant-garde sound in their music.
Espedal is surrounded by drummer Kenneth Kapstad (Motorpsycho, Spidergawd, Møster!, Thorns), and with his longtime collaborating bass player Stian Kårstad also know as Sir (God Seed, Ghaals Wyrd, and live for Gorgoroth). Kårstad is at the same time responsible for all the guitar walls and other duties on this remarkable album. Jazz musician and saxophone player Kjetil Møster (Møster!, Röyksopp, The End) was also invited by Kapstad to join the band.
…By The Shadows… is another introduction to the seemingly endless dark and creepy world of Ghaal. He further explores his voice in a wide diversity with pure and deep singing, growling, whispering and thus naturally bringing many emotional waves to the surface. On the track ‘Exit Existence’ he sounds almost as the new David Bowie (no kidding). Kjetil Møster unconventional saxophone and clarinet tunes are very explosive and supply some kind of a black jazz atmosphere (Shining) to the recordings. His excellent (sometimes very minacious) brass work rushes through the bloodstream, sounding several times like a screaming pig being slaughtered.
…By The Shadows… is an unexpected sonic machine with an enlarged range of music styles exploring new progressive musical paths. Trelldom does what bands like Arcturus, Dødheimsgard and Oranssi Pazuzu already have been doing, shifting musically further away from their roots and creating new, interesting and astonishing blackened avant-garde music.
