III - ANGST, SJÄLVDESTRUKTIVITETENS EMISSARIE

Shining should not be confused with the Norwegian jazz/rio band of the same name that is also featured on the archives. The band under dissection here is an extreme black metal / shock-horror experience with disturbing subject material covering self-mutilation and suicide. Obviously much of that must be either a pose or a theoretical issue; otherwise they wouldn't have been around anymore.

Angst is the third Shining album and it concludes their growth into a solid atmospheric black metal experience. From the next album onwards they would become more experimental and progressive. Here the sound is still very similar to the harsher side of Agalloch. The music is open and mid-paced and provides a solid entrancing tempo where Kvarforth can spit out his vile and loathsome vocals. He has quite a unique voice in a field dominated by copy-cats, very dramatic disgusted and tormented. His delivery is compulsive, urgent and scary. Angst is sure an appropriate title for this album. Ork and troll fans lend your ears here!

All elements that make black metal savoury are present. Especially the chilling guitars that are played like keyboards, meaning they don't resort to the usual heavy metal riffing but rather weave dark ringing chord progressions extended over multiple bars, either picked or quickly strummed. Very repetitive and entrancing. The guitars sound sharp and snippy as it should and they luckily also have enough body. The drums are solid and mr. Hellhammer varies the tempo quite a lot, which guarantees extended listening pleasure. Shining also starts on some more adventurous song material here like Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie, something they would further explore on the ensuing albums.

Overall this is a very strong and original black metal album that I would easily rate 4.5 stars in my non-prog charts. But since suicide and mutilation are (hopefully) far removed from a progger's everyday life; I'll keep it hanging on the sharp edge of a 3.5 inch blade. Highly recommended to fans of Agalloch, early Opeth albums and Immortal.

Share this SHINING review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Bonnek
• Report this review (#266697)
• Buy SHINING music online with PA partners
• Show all SHINING MP3/Stream
• Go to SHINING page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to III - Angst, Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for SHINING related discussions