VEJEN TIL ASGÅRD REVIEW BY ARTEMI PUGACHOV FEB. 2005
Vejen til Asgård is Bjorn's latest EP with a number of styles on show.
"Urskovens ansigt" starts with low growling synths and some distant strings, before a haunting motif is introduced. Very Nordic sounding stuff, you can almost feel the long, nothern winter breathing in your ears. Really dark stuff and very very enjoyable."Hvor guderne vogter" is a sequencer-based number, but still with that haunting atmosphere, conjuring up visions of solitute, freezing and isolation. This is melodic EM with a certain edge to it. A bit of an epic grandeur is introduced later on. "Gravhøjens gand" has even stronger sequences - very fat sound coupled once again with typically Scandinavian gloomy atmospheres. The best track on the EP. The final part has slowly beating drums and mysterious pad sounds plus a bright melodic sequence. "I en svunden tid" features very dark synths and a percussive rhythm, making up for a pretty demented and doomy track. This could serve as a great video game or fantasy movie soundtrack. The symphonic theme that appears after a while is very dramatic and strong - it really gets under your skin.
If you like Endura's more symphonic moments - you will find this very enjoyable. The rhythmic "Norrøn" brings the Berlin School influences to the fore once again. Great melodic main theme. The second section of the track features completely different melodies and atmospheres. The EP closes with a title track, whose sound initially reminds me on Post Scriptum's Sea-Green Series Chapter V. Must be something in the timbres that Bjorn uses. A voice speaks brief phrases on top of the atmospheric background. This one has that typical Nordic atmosphere again. It comes to a finish with the sound of galloping horses.
I enjoyed this EP a lot. I think Nattefrost's music will appeal to a wide audience, from fans of Dark Ambient to lovers of obscure keyboard anthems to Berlin School / sequencer music aficionados.