After the debut album release Kraft in 2004, VREID now come out with their second opus Pitch Black Brigade. Consisting of three remaining members of Windir (bassist Hvall, drummer Steingrim, guitarist/singer Sture) and added by the new guitar player Ese, these Norwegian lads got supported by Strom, another ex-Windir, and Vegard Bakken, brother of late Windir mastermind Valfar, who performed some additional vocals for the track Hengebjørki.

Solely responsible for the song writing was also this time Hvall. Despite this line-up VREID were, as on the earlier album, able to maintain an independent sound, which is mostly detached from Windir. However, after on Kraft many modern influences could be heard, Pitch Black Brigade again is more about black metallic roots, and in some songs it is easy to hear where Hvalls musical background is. As regards of content, the album tells of the dark chapters of the past century, especially the two world wars. The new CD contains eight tracks, of which five are in English and three in Norwegian language, the retail version will include a video clip yet to be filmed.
Right from the start one can see, that the production (recordings took place in Hvall’s own Studio „1184“) became a little straighter and clearer, but without to give up the harsh keynote that was already typical for Kraft. In addition, the whole thing, even though it heads more fort he old black metal sound, became even groovier than its antecessor. Through the whole album, for example in Left To Hate, the title track Pitch Black Brigade and Our Battle, riffs can be found, which I can’t help out but to call them Black’n’Roll. A different style can be found in the two songs in the mid part: the forth track The Red Smell shows the most analogies to Windir and specifically to the sound of Likferd. The longest track on the CD, Hengebjørki, stands out of the other songs with its almost two minutes lasting electronic-atmospheric introduction, the turns into the most classic black metal among all compositions. Especially the second part of Hengebjørki with its interlude and the following great melancholic melody is simply great. Two in comparison short songs follow, both again very groovy, then Eit Kapittel For Seg Sjølv, full of sound effects and partially electronic melodies (that there’s no fear of contact with other style elements is already well known from the Windir times ;) ) marks a slow and sonorous end of Pitch Black Brigade.

Although Pitch Black Brigade is not a traditional black metal album and you may need getting used to its sound, but after listening to it several times, I think Pitch Black Brigade rocks like hell and it is, despite its slightly strange mixture of styles, very catchy. The independent sound VREID developed on Kraft has been improved without losing its power, and also the 2 and a half more melodic tracks fit very well in the overall picture.
Nine and a half point and an explicit recommendation to buy the new VREID output! As for me this one is one of the candidates fort he album of the year, even though the year is still young.

One of the new songs can be tried out here.