DEIMHAL: The Grand Gathering
Release year: 2023
Label: self-released
One somewhat curious phenomenon is that of black metal projects by middle aged members of bands with more renown. There’s no shortage of these, and typically these projects don’t look to the current state of black metal for inspiration, but cast their eyes back to the 90’s. Rather naturally, I guess you could say: said middle aged members probably got into black metal then, and that’s the sound and aesthetic that made the most lasting impression on them. Just like it did on me.
In a way, I’ve always thought of these projects as the musician’s equivalent to getting that Harley Davidson you “always wanted” when you turn 40 and start realizing you’re no longer one of the kids.
Finnish Deimhal can, at least by the age of the musicians involved, be lumped into this rather vague category. The collective CV of the members contains more than one somewhat known, famous and/or succesful Finnish metal act with roots way back into the 90’s: Kalmah, Dawn Of Relic and Catamenia being perhaps the most known.
So what does it sound like, when a bunch of middle aged metalheads give turn-of-the-millennium black metal a try? Entirely decent is the answer.
Opting for a primarily rather mid-tempo approach with heavy focus on actual riffs instead of tremolo picked shredding, The Grand Gathering seems to draw heavy inspiration from Immortal, in particular At The Heart Of Winter and the couple of albums after that. It doesn’t get quite as majestic and epic as Immortal did on aforementioned album, but the Finns clearly draw their water from the same well. The dry croaking of vocalist Mika Tönning bear a marked similarity to those of Abbath.
The band describe themselves as symphonic black metal, but that’s a bit off the mark. True, there are synthesizers here, and in a non-negligible role; however, ultimately, they are relegated to fire support, with the guitars bearing the heavy load in terms of carrying the songs. At times, this combination brings to mind latter day Old Man’s Child, although where the Norwegians are wont to blast at full speed much of the time, Deimhal use speed as a spice. Perhaps one can hear a bit of Emperor here and there, too. And, when the band give their native Finnish a try on Ikuisen kuoleman kaipuu, one cannot avoid hearing a fair bit of Ajattara in there.
Considering the years and years of combined experience of the band members, it comes as no surprise that Deimhal is solid on all levels. The songs are ablely put composed and arranged, the musicianship is flawless, the sound is professional and there are plenty of little details to notice here.
However, I cannot but help feel this is a bit soulless, as latter day black metal projects by middle-aged metalheads tend to be. Or perhaps soulless is the wrong word – maybe passionless is better? That exuberance of a passionate black flame burning, that excitement of creating something that at least to the musicians themselves feels unique. That sensation of investing oneself fully into the music. I can’t discern much of that on The Grand Gathering. This doesn’t feel like a passion, but like a – project. Like something of a pastime activity, with limited scope.
And, ultimately, that’s why I’m not shitting myself in excitement about The Grand Gathering. It is, as said, competent and quite enjoyable, but a bit by the numbers and a bit “routine.” And, to add, quite unoriginal. It feels like a skillfully, but calculatedly assembled jigsaw puzzle: “Let’s take this from Immortal, that from Emperor, a bit of this from Old Man’s Child and from Ajattara, this.” And though the seams are not visible, this patchwork nature does to some extent accentuate the shallowness of soul.
Still, all things considered, I’ve enjoyed listening to The Grand Gathering and, based on this experience, could see myself digging into further releases. In terms of retro nostalgia for music made a quarter of a century ago, there are lots of worse acts out there. Some of these acts being responsible for genuine classics of the genre a lifetime ago. So in that sense, Deimhal leave me with a positive impression on this, their brief debut release.
Only Death Is Real 