Profundi

Written, produced, recorded, mixed, pre-mastered and artistically designed by Jens Ryden, formerly of Naglfar, the ambitious one-man project that is Profundi has succeeded where so many have failed. The Omega Rising is the kind of triumph rarely seen by any band, let alone one with a single contributor. Think Storm of the Light’s Bane and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk; it’s that good. Ryden flawlessly combines blackened symphonic melodies and driving blasts into industrial strength intimidation. Summoning the spirit of the Swedish black-death movement, the album plays out with an obvious Dissection influence, though more vile and vitriolic. This style is combined with faster and more oppressive moments not unlike Satyricon, though again, more caustic. Superb songwriting is evident throughout; just when you think Ryden’s written enough hooks to leave you satisfied for the next year another song starts up with more punch than the last. In terms of production, he maintains the raw spirit that the genre pioneers perpetuated while bringing out the many distinct layers that texture the sound. The recording is gritty, not shitty. Essentially, Ryden has raised the bar for both himself and his peers, and as far as black metal goes, it’s going to be awfully hard to top this record this year.