NidsangTime for a bit of full-on black metal that exemplifies the best of the Swedish tradition. Nidsang is an occult-ridden riff frenzy that will go down well with fans of any one of Setherial, Watain and Necrophobic. Quite where they have been since 2007’s The Mark Of Death is anyone’s guess and their absence seems a bit of a shame in hindsight given the quality of this release. But, as the band themselves say, ‘the years of silence have not been in vain’. Now signed to Pulverised and clearly with a new lease of life, this latest outing measures up very well to their more familiar peers and Nidsang does not waste any more time than it already has before getting down to business. The first half of the album hits like a whirlwind. After the obligatory rumbling, hellish intro, Black Void Revelations kicks in with perfect black metal discipline and blistering velocity. Thankfully, though, there’s a bit more to Nidsang than that. The band dabbles in gratuitous amounts speed control for those of us that like the occasional martial stomp or majestic riff between repeated assaults from the drum battery on your poor, begotten earlobes. Add to that swirling, solo-fuelled riffs, flesh-flaying vocals and the odd cosmic break down and there is very little I can say about this that isn’t positive.

Of course, there is that unmistakable and distinct air of familiarity about a band like Nidsang and I guarantee anyone that’s overdosed on the above bands or others like Belgium’s Enthroned, or even Marduk, will be on entirely safe ground here. But Nidsang easily shrugs off any accusations of pale imitation by ratcheting up the stakes as the album progresses and employs a varied and tactical range of song-writing skills. That particularly goes for the more melodic second-half where things really take off. More than once, something dark and wonderful happens beyond mere visceral might – like on the fantastic spacey outro to Veneration Of The Fiery Blood or the final track (parts of which could have slotted neatly onto Hrimthursum). But even when not scaling those dark heights, Nidsang twists and shifts, always seeking to test out different gears to demonstrate their mastery of the sound. Even if they didn’t get there first, this is proof that Nidsang deserves due recognition. I’d even say I preferred this to some of the more recent output of some of their more famous Swedish black metal counterparts (I’d take this over the disappointing Womb of Lilithu any day despite the similarity of the album titles…). Into The Womb Of Dissolving Flames is a captivating salute to the dark one. An obsidian assault on the senses and a worthy addition to the Swedish black metal pantheon.

(8/10 Reverend Darkstanley)

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