Yes, this is the very same SKYMNING that currently plows through the industrial expanses of heavy music. And this is their debut release, put out on Blackend in 1999. The Swedes' first effort initially failed to earn high marks from critics and fans, and it went through several reissues. The artwork did not promise anything good, but remembering that "all that glitters is not gold," I bravely slid the disc into the appropriate device (no, not the toaster). And then a wave of heavy metal with a power metal-style drum section of less-than-stellar quality washed over me. There are fewer complaints about the song structures themselves than about the recording quality — specifically the mastering. Continued listening produced more positive impressions. The five lads from northern Sverige serve up a blend of black/death/heavy/power, marinated in melody. You want the recipe? Proportions and all that? Alright, let us reveal the trade secret. From melodic black/death, we get the guitar section and the growling vocals; heavy metal contributed a portion of the main guitar parts and rather decent solos; power metal provided the drumming. Dig in! It is certainly edible, even worth a taste, though the blend is not quite as refined as it could be — a bit raw (the musicians were apparently too hungry to wait any longer).
