Fäghring (Florescence) bears the gift of rebirth, that which follows the blackest of the night can only be offset by the radiant dawn. Bhleg a two-piece from Sweden who began their spiritual journey in 2013 deliver their fourth masterwork of Folk Black Metal.
Bhleg, meaning to shine is a coherent deeply personal work from the artists known only as S and L and from its opening Vårdträdet (The Warden Tree) their work is focused, mature, multi-textured, and overflowing with musical ideas that closely adhere to their spirituality and their kinship with nature and folklore.
Solvigd is elegant and beautiful in its restraint and haunting female vocals, Frö (Seed) is their Magnus opus a roaring 12-minute journey that is seamless in its musical diversity and its ability to ebb and flow, their extreme musical prowess is not lost by incorporating melody the vocals harsh and impassioned, the music strong enough to carry their ideas to fruition. The elements of Raw black metal are organic and earthen combined with traditional drums and woodwind instruments.
Befruktad Jord (Nourished Soil) delivers more musical extremity, Fagna sumrí (Celebration of Summer) is the beautiful closer that is transportive in its subtlety, the multiple vocals providing the perfect sonnet to the album, the hymns rousing and inspiring.
Overwhelming in its honesty Fäghring is the light that destroys the shadows. A work of extreme art that is positive, at times overwhelmingly beautiful, yet also pure raw black metal, an ode to a most glorious spring. Bhleg has completed its four-album cycle with an accomplished powerful album celebrating the greatest of seasons.
Bhleg: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Nordvis
Category: Album
Country: Sweden
Reviewed by Sparky
