Black metal outfit 1349 from Norway recently released have their first new song since the 2014 album Massive Cauldron of Chaos. Titled Dødskamp the song has a dark and emotional feeling to it with its abrasive guitar tones, obliterating drums and screams of pain, suffering and anguish.
1349 were amongst four very different sounding Norwegian artist’s commissioned by Innovation Norway, Visit Norway and the Munch Museum. The artists were then set the task to choose and interpret a piece of art from the famous painter Edvard Munch. As a result, 1349 have given us a great soundtrack into the darkness that is in the painting also titled Dødskamp.
In a video posted by Visit Norway, guitarist Archaon is seen giving his explanation of what the song and this particular painting means to himself and the other members of 1349.
Here’s a little bit of what Archaon had to say:
“Munch is arguably the biggest Norwegian artist throughout history, together with Edvard Grieg, I suppose. His works are tremendously dark and eerie, reflecting a lot of anxiety, pain and loneliness, in the way I perceive them.
So, it suited us perfectly. I chose the work “Dødskamp” which directly translates “Death Struggle” and speaks volumes for itself. It was an emotionally heavy task, and also a completely new way to compose.
As well as some very long nights, bereaved of sleep.
In the end, though, it was worth it. This is the soundtrack to the dilemmas of mortality.”
The single is available on all the usual media platforms and was also released on vinyl with a thunderous live version on the track Atomic Chapel. Dødskamp’s an amazing song that is best enjoyed while viewing the artwork that inspires it and is a must for black metal fans across the globe.
Release Year: 2019
Label: Season of Mist
Category: Single
Country: Norway
Reviewed by Peter Mitchell
