Istapp - Blekinge
Metal Blade
Melodic Black Metal (with various other influences)
10 songs (37:57)
Release year: 2010
Metal Blade
Reviewed by Kyle
Archive review

Though not a particularly old album, Istapp’s debut Blekinge is worthy of this website’s “archive” sticker, if only because finding this album while sifting through my CD collection was akin to rediscovering a forgotten relic. I don’t think I gave this disc enough of a chance when I first purchased it; it is not only a much better album than I had remembered, but one that establishes this Istapp’s style as more than a simple amalgamation of sounds ripped from their peers in the melodic black metal circuit.

Hailing from Sweden and obsessed with all things dark and cold (an untitled track on Blekinge is represented in the track list by an image of the sun that has been crossed out), Istapp has much more fun with their music than you would initially imagine. Their primary source of inspiration is likely Finnish band Catamenia - both bands share a love for fast-paced melodic black metal and a love for lyrics revolving around winter, but Istapp features less keyboards, heavier folk influence, and certainly fewer wolves on their album covers. Also in the vein of Catamenia, Istapp focuses on shorter songs, but despite this the tracks are as densely packed as the snow Istapp writes about. In one song alone you may find acoustic meanderings, folk chants, blast beat speed-runs, tempo changes, and melodeath hooks, all packed into a span of four minutes or less.

Despite this eclectic nature – I detected sounds possibly borrowed from Ensiferum, Dimmu Borgir, Dissection and others - Istapp’s sound is their own. The harmonizing lead guitars are wonderfully melodic throughout, and the occasional clean vocals invoke a charming pagan metal atmosphere. Istapp displays varying levels of aggression as well as varying styles from song to song (I Väntan På Den Absoluta Nollpunkten is nearly a straight melodeath track while Fjällhöga Nord is adventurous folk metal song a la Tyr), and yet the band’s defining elements are always present. They draw inspiration from countless sources, but Istapp definitely sounds like Istapp.

Blekinge certainly isn’t a flawless record; aside from the untitled track it sounds far too happy and sunny to invoke the frozen atmosphere the band is trying to convey, most of these songs are re-recordings from the band’s past demos, and the album’s length is way, way too short considering the quality of the material within. Furthermore, Istapp’s sound lacks that “sticks with you” factor at this stage, although the band certainly does know how to write hooks. Despite my qualms, Blekinge is a filler-free album that is certainly worth the time and money of fans of the more adventurous areas of black metal. It’s a nice break from the more serious Wolves in the Throne Room-alikes currently dominating the black metal scene, as well as a rare “fun” listen to come from the genre. Highly recommended.

Killing Songs :
All (no filler!)
Kyle quoted 83 / 100
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