Out of the many bands throughout the history of black metal that have paved the way and led the scene to where it is today, it is still surprising to me to witness many classic names still out and about creating new music. Even as some of them might take a hiatus and come back with a real vengeance, the old flame still burns incredibly dark with the power to match even as newcomers are constantly coming out of the woodwork to both honor the original crafts and challenge the throne with their one. Tsjuder has long been rightfully regarded as one of the greats when it comes to Norwegian black metal, and it’s with their newest creation that reputation is only further cemented.

When we’re dealing with a band that embodies their sound as much as Tsjuder does for Norwegian black metal, it’s not hard to imagine that any new effort from such an act would be of the sort that fans of the sound should absolutely investigate at the first given opportunity. Between the nine tracks spread across the 41 minutes on full display here, Tsjuder has done nothing less than succeed wildly as it is their sixth full-length, “Helvegr”, that this staple name puts forth what demands to be hailed as one of their most accomplished to date. I will not dare to even try to compare this to their earlier works that put them on this path, but there is a true sense of fiery grandeur that is at play in every step of “Helvegr” with the listener helplessly hurtled into the whirlwind with such intensity and ferocity that the one possible route to survival is to succumb to the power at hand. With tremendous fury and the knowledge of top-tier black metal to match, Tsjuder’s latest offensive is nothing that can be shaken easily if at all. It’s far more than a mere collection of riffs – it’s a full-on massacre! Cold to the touch, more bloodthirsty than the most veteran of berserkers, and far more than a little of that old world magic, “Helvegr” stands as far more than just the best work of Norwegian black metal that I’ve heard since Mork, this is abominable conquest the likes of which cannot be denied!

Another edition of northern darkness like what we have here should not be a surprise whatsoever given the band that we’re talking about here. Tsjuder has been a name to know and respect when it comes to black metal excellence from Norway by all accounts with many owing their very roots to much of what they threw down in those early days, and it’s clear with all that’s brought forward here with this record that they’ve yet to lose their touch for even a moment. “Helvegr” is many things, but, above all else, it is a dark work whose fury cannot simply be lessened be it by time or wilful ignorance. One way or another, the raging flames of Tsjuder will find you and leave its mark upon your soul.

LISTEN to “Helvegr” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Tsjuder on Facebook here.