Review Summary: What is mankind without war?
The drums ignite and pour life into the record with a slow beat. It is almost like a call to arms. The beat is heavy and played in a military styled fashion to give the impression that one is marching into war. Lingering guitars then begin to fade into the intro, generating a dark, intemperate atmosphere. The frequency of the strumming increases until the intro has transcended from a tranquil sound into a potently bellicose, abrasive entity. Everything is in place for havoc to be unleashed. A fierce riff brews in the background, propelling itself towards the centre stage. It is like war was being set loose from the shackles of peace.
From this point onwards, there is little recess from the onslaught produced by the band. The style being played in this record is that of a mixture, including Death Metal, Thrash Metal and hints of Black Metal scattered throughout. This sound can be compared to the likes of early Morbid Angel and Goatwhore. As well as this, certain sub-genres shine more in some songs that others. For example, 'Legion' is more of a Thrash Metal song, with the inclusion of a truly grand Black Metal riff.
Throughout the 45 minute duration of the record, it is without question the guitarists that shine the most. They craft an utterly iniquitous atmosphere, haunting the listener with its malignant aurora. As well as this, the sound generated is of a crushing vastness, which dominates all other instruments being played. The riffs assembled for this record are of a candidly magnificent calibre, so tremendous in fact they are alike those of classic Death Metal records, from the likes of Immolation and Morbid Angel.
As for the drums, they are not quite as much as a culmination of the record, but are still of a fine standard. Blast beats are adjacent at most corners of the record, showcasing the band's devotion to the classic Death Metal elements. Yet, highly techincal playing is also exhibited, featuring tight flurries of beats and battering of the cymbals. Overall, a somewhat lavish aspect of the album.
Unfortunately, with the other two prominent instruments taking the centre stage of the record, it leaves the bass with a severe lack of appearance. This is a potentially great aspect of the record that has become obsolete, which is profoundly dispiriting, as it could have lead the record into being of an even more remarkable listen.
On the other hand, the vocals offer masses of diversity within the record. An exceedingly substantial vocal range is displayed throughout, including mid-ranged growls, deep growls and some traditional Black Metal screams. The standard of the vocals never changes either, making them exceptionally consistent.
When the outro beings to creep up on the listener, it truly makes one appreciate the tranquil sound brushing away the chaos. Experiencing 45 minutes of sheer brute force raining down on the senses relentlessly fabricates a feeling of being beaten, bruised and fatigued. The remarkable thing about it though, is how plainly enjoyable of a listen this is, as with most great Extreme Metal. Not one minute of a repetitive nature is produced, which shows how talented of a band Ulvedharr is. The only major letdown is the lack of bass, yet this does not stop 'Total War' from being an incomprehensibly immense Titan of a record. Overall, this is a remakably sensational listen from start to end, with no filler to skip whatsoever.
