A new reign has come in Norwegian black metal. Several bands are celebrating their 20 year anniversary this year, bands that have put their more or less distinctive marks on black metal. While Emperor left the scene as
a band several years ago, a new wave of creating craft has browsed over the East of the country, with Kampfar as one of the main flag bearers of the genre.

Djevelmakt sounds little like the Kampfar I've followed all along. Fans will know that Kampfar have their own style but that it has never been uniform. Their unique riffs are not completely gone, and you can still discern their folk inspired melodies, built around their scales of choice. The rest is mightier than ever, incredibly well-mixed, giving justice to the work the band has put into their music for so long.

Maybe it is now, through Djevelmakt, that we can get what Kampfar always has been about: dense music filled with layers and layers of foggy riffs, clear folk melodies and drums that thunder through the cold landscapes of Norway.

Kampfar played a more than convincing gig at Hellfest last year. I'd recommend their fellow Norwegian metallists to open the eyes for this band that is working hard to save the honour of the country's legendary metal heritage.

With Djevelmakt, Kampfar lift themselves doubly above previous achievements.

A saga to be followed, through the same endless chapter, hopefully.