apanthropy

Hersir
Hateful Draugar from the Underworld
Darkness Shall Rise Productions
Released: 3/28/25

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1 – Dauðvána
2 – Hateful Draugar from the Underworld
3 – The Ironclad Fighters of Hjaðningavíg
4 – The Fiddler
5 – Walking the Way of Giants
6 – Holocaust Winter
7 – Valgaldr
8 – Purification by Fire
9 – Blood Runs from the Hörgr
10 – Divinations at the Old Springs
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Hersir are a black metal band operating out of Sweden, with Hateful Draugar from the Underground serving as the band’s debut album. Hateful Draugar from the Underground is comprised of ten tracks, clocking it at nearly fifty minutes. Written and performed as a duo of Grim Vindkall and Haugbui, the pair manage to produce something unique for the 2025 black metal scene.

Most modern black metal usually has a sense of ‘artificialness’ to it, either far too overproduced, too melodic, or simply borrowing from the original sonic template of the very late 1980’s and early-to-mid 1990’s and not engaging with it in earnest. What Hersir formulate here is a genuine throwback to the golden age of European black metal. The duo enshrine a centralized melody as the main focal point of many songs, usually cyclical in nature. One can think of some of the ancient black metal of yore and its approach to melody to find similar result; ‘Ea, Lord Of The Depths’ by Burzum, ‘Buried By Time And Dust’ by Mayhem, and ‘I Am The Black Wizards’ by Emperor, all featured strong, dynamic central melodies that were tremolo picked and heavily distorted. Hersir utilizes the same approach within many of their songs. Sometimes the melody is overwhelmingly conspicuous, for example, ‘The Fiddler’ opens with a melody on full display, coupled with on-and-off double-bass drumming to give it a sense of anxiety, fever, and fury. Even when the central melody is in repose, Hersir continue to honor the old ways by crafting chord structures and harmonies that you would find on the classic black metal records of yesterday.

Other tracks such as ‘The Ironclad Fighters of Hjaðningavíg’ and the title track, brood forth with slamming drums and tightly chromatic riff structuring, with slight keyboard flourishes to add a layer of depth and character to the overall shape of the song. ‘Walking the Way of Giants’ sees a principle riff of minor key chord progression coupled with grinding and prominent bass guitar work. ‘Purification By Fire’ is another choice example of the centralized melody taking center stage, snaking and progressing as if some occult form of Classical music.

Atmosphere is dense and rich within the confines of Hateful Draugar from the Underground, with contributions from the vocal execution, light keyboard work, and the end production and mix on the album. Haugbui’s vocals are a crooning shrill bark pushed through the chest, with keyboards doubling or accompanying melodies and harmonies created by the guitars. The production and mix sees a sweeping dynamism across the whole sound, with bright frontal guitars, powerful vocal presence, surprisingly clear bass tone and well-mixed drums that have a neutral thud for a snare tone and punching bass drums to propel the meter and rhythm forward like a war march.

Hateful Draugar From The Underworld is a rare throwback to the ancient days of black metal, crafted in the present. An achievement that is not to be taken lightly in a scene that is dying of self-created stagnation. If you’re into mid-tempo black metal that templates the old-school, this is an album that is an absolutely necessary listen.

Label: Darkness Shall Rise Productions
Band: Hersir

This review was originally written for Voices from the Darkside.

AJK