A melodic black metal band like Naglfar deserves recognition for this one heck of a fine album. Follow up from 'Pariah' (2005), this one is better produced and each vocal/instrument output is well heard. An exoneration of what is to be amongst the top of their game in this scarce genre of metal. Rarely do you hear a band with a combination of melodic riffs combined with blast beating and scorching riff overtures that belt into your brain.

The music features melodies that are quite memorable and admirable. The combination of melodic riffs amongst bass lines that ebb thoroughly with remarkable creativity and atmosphere that's dark and dismal. Songs open up with either blast beating belting deep into the cranium. Tempo changes are incredible. Such intensity is featured here and the vocals compliment the devastating riffs.

Each track is memorable featuring tremolo picked guitar riffs that are blazingly fast. But it isn't featured on this whole album, just for the most of it. Best to listen to the songs with headphones so that you don't miss out on any of the melodic guitar mixed with a commanding vocals. Everything seems to flow unabashedly and most of the fast parts are during the vocal lines.

As I said before, this album was well mixed which each instrument flowing well into the core of this evil and solemn concoction of devastating melodic black metal. This is what was missing on their previous release 'Pariah', which was also good, but it was difficult to hear the riffs outright. 'Harvest' doesn't lack that component which makes it such a gem of a release.

The lyrical department features bits on suicide, death, dying, and so forth. It meshes well with the atmosphere of the album. Dismal topics, but what do you expect from these melodic black metal mongrols? Vocals throughout the album spew forth these hateful lyrics and give it an aura of eerie sounding touch of evil. You can actually understand the vocals without looking at a sheet of their lyrics. Not on every song, but for a majority of them.

If you're looking for something that's in the vein of extreme melodic black metal, then 'Harvest' delivers. The music, the vocals, the drum lines are all in synchrony with riffs that are dark and dismal. So many features of this album contain riff structures that are admirable, vocals that are dark/depressing, drum bits with furious beating and bashing high intensity. Pick this one up because it does the metal community great justice!

Rating: 9 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Death8699
07/03/2011 21:32