Helrunar - Grátr
Lupus Lounge
Black Metal
9 songs (41:56)
Release year: 2009
Helrunar, Lupus Lounge
Reviewed by Goat

A reissue of the German band’s now impossible-to-find debut, Grátr was originally limited to 500 copies and it’s a great move to reissue it on Lupus Lounge’s part, as it’s something of a lost gem. Although not at all original – a slightly blastier version of early Enslaved is the best way to sum it up – Helrunar knew how to write a good Black Metal song and keep the listener headbanging along. Acoustic opener Der Fährtensucher soon gives way to the catchy yet grim-faced blast of Raune mit der Tiefe, speckled with atmospheric Viking chants, and continues with the vomit-vocalled attack of Ich Bin die Leere.

Certainly, anyone with a passing interest in Black Metal will have heard this style before, and if you’re interested in the German style, you may well find this quite familiar, but it’s impossible to deny how well-put together this is, better in some ways than Helrunar’s later albums. The musicians involved clearly knew how to play, and whilst you might need a listen or three before it really starts sinking in, Grátr is an excellent experience each time. The one criticism I have is that by the time you reach the end of the album it can seem a little dull, but moments like the epic assault of the title track with its twangy Folk instrumentation make up for it. All in all, this is a more than solid album that fans of the band and newcomers alike will enjoy.

MySpace
Killing Songs :
Raune mit der Tiefe, Ich Bin die Leere, Grátr
Goat quoted 79 / 100
Other albums by Helrunar that we have reviewed:
Helrunar - Niederkunfft reviewed by Goat and quoted 80 / 100
Helrunar - Baldr ok Íss reviewed by Goat and quoted 74 / 100
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