KAMPFAR - Profan
December 1, 2015, 8 years ago
(Indie Recordings)
Now on full-length number seven, Norwegian black metal horde Kampfar's discography, like the work of so many other bands, is marked by not-so-subtle shifts that have created different takes on an established sound. Since 2011's Mare - and continuing on Djevelmakt (2014) and latest record Profan - Kampfar has made the artistic leap into more epic, polished spaces, which is usually public enemy number one in black metal circles. But Kampfar has the song-writing prowess to pull it off, all three of those albums the home to black metal that is intriguing and engaging, while still remaining uncompromising.
Which doesn't negate Kampfar's earlier, rawer material, which is listenable and important in its own right. But Kampfar's latter-day pathways have taken the group to different levels, allowing the band to explore and expand without turning its back on its original purpose. Profan's opener "Gloria Ablaze" effectively sums up that statement, Kampfar alternating between Marduk, Vreid and Watain (all game-changers in their own right) while also incorporating its own vision, the results being dynamic, dauntless and fully decisive.
