Metal Storm logo
Marduk - Viktoria review



Reviewer:
7.5

156 users:
7.26
Band: Marduk
Album: Viktoria
Release date: June 2018


01. Werwolf
02. June 44
03. Equestrian Bloodlust
04. Tiger I
05. Narva
06. The Last Fallen
07. Viktoria
08. The Devil's Song
09. Silent Night

When a band has been around for as long as Marduk has, there is not much to say that has not been said already. I'm just going to make it clear from the beginning that this review will not take sides in the right-/left-wing fascism/nazism debate, but I will say that I do find the band's talent to piss off SJWs and religious nutters alike highly enjoyable.

Marduk have had a very rich discography during their almost three decades of existence. Viktoria is their 14th full-length coming three years after Frontschwein and kicks off in the same way its predecessor ended; with war sirens.

However, unlike Frontschwein which felt unnecessarily long and bloated, Viktoria is short and cohesive, clocking in at around 34 minutes. The opening track and first single, "Werwolf", is a two-minute blitz attack that leaves you in a corner wondering what hit you. The album as a whole pummels hard and fast but it doesn't just blastbeat the shit out of you the way Panzer Division Marduk did because it also showcases the slower and occasionally more melodic side of the band, found in Wormwood and Serpent Sermon. When Marduk fire on all cylinders as they do in "June 44", a song that just shows why Mortuus is one the best black metal vocalists out there, they absolutely shine. "Equestrian Bloodlust", "Narva" and "The Last Fallen" are effective war weapons of the kind that has always been in abundance in Marduk's armoury. In a couple of instances ("Viktoria" and the outstanding "The Devil's Song") they convincingly combine melody and fierceness. On the other hand, the more slowed-down moments, such as "Tiger I" and especially "Silent Night", which feels like one of the filler tracks from the latest Satyricon's releases, are not as engaging.

"Werwolf" was a Nazi plan, developed towards the ending of WWII and essentially a clandestine operation with intention to attack behind enemy lines and cause serious damage. The idea was an ambitious one but we now know that its actual achievements were not as spectacular as the propaganda by Goebbels made them out to be. In the same manner, Viktoria's concept and structure aims to catch the listener unprepared and defenceless by being very concise and direct. But unlike the "Werwolf" plan which was largely unsuccessful, you will find that the new album by the Swedes, although not mind-blowing, is still an effective guerrilla-style war on your eardrums.

Marduk's consistency as a "trve black metal" band is admirable and Viktoria is yet another solid addition in their discography. Mortuus in particular is simply phenomenal in this record. However, I cannot refrain from pointing out that his other project, Funeral Mist, has just blown almost every other black metal release out of water this year, including this one.

"One last bullet, one last round,
One single motto: 'Conquer or Die!'"





Written on 15.07.2018 by Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud!


Comments

Comments: 4   Visited by: 134 users
17.07.2018 - 09:22
Rating: 6
Daniell
_爱情_
This kind of goes to show how mediocre this album is. No one bothers to comment
Loading...
17.07.2018 - 10:40
nikarg

Written by Daniell on 17.07.2018 at 09:22

This kind of goes to show how mediocre this album is. No one bothers to comment

Now that this cherry is popped, there's gonna be a flood of comments
Loading...
17.07.2018 - 13:22
Rating: 6
Daniell
_爱情_
Written by nikarg on 17.07.2018 at 10:40

Written by Daniell on 17.07.2018 at 09:22

This kind of goes to show how mediocre this album is. No one bothers to comment

Now that this cherry is popped, there's gonna be a flood of comments

I kind of like Marduk, even though I don't think they're great. But this album is so meh. Even the fastest songs are far from exhilarating - they seemed so at first, but they grew old on me quite fast. On top of that, slow burns "Tiger I" and "Silent Night" are so bland that they seem to drag endlessly. When I first checked their running time, I was surprised that it is under 5 minutes. These 2 songs seem twice as long.
Loading...
17.07.2018 - 20:17
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I hate this bands music. Its worthles bm, but i do love how band is pissing of anti fa and believer
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...

Hits total: 7510 | This month: 18