Review by Carl on April 24, 2020.

Whoa, this packs quite the punch, that's for sure! I know Wargrinder from their previous releases but this one wipes the floor with all that came before. If you happen to miss Angelcorpse as much as I do then this will certainly help to fill that void. The spirit of that band is prevalent throughout the whole of this album and it immediately establishes a nice familiar feeling.

The music on show here is executed with relentless energy and passion. The bulk of the songs speed ahead at high velocity and the listener doesn't have that much time to relax in between, and luckily so. This type of venomous metal is supposed to be delivered with aggression oozing out of the speakers. It isn't until the ending of 'Time Consumes Existence' and the instrumental album closer 'Of Bliss and the Endless Void' that sole member Warhead takes the foot of the accelerator and it allows for some breathing space to enter the maelstrom of malicious black/death metal while retaining a vitriolic heaviness to the music. The overall riffing is on par with that of Gene Palubicki's and it's probably the primary reason the music has the same sound and feel as that of Angelcorpse's classic "The Inexorable". It's a sound that I have certainly missed, that's for sure. What it could have used though was some searing leads to break up the monotony that, after a while, inevitably comes with the constantly raging assault on offer here. That's a small point of criticism that doesn't take anything away from this awesome album though.

This album is a more than enjoyable piece of malicious metal music. It's got the songs and the remorseless aggression to please all fans of brutal and precise black/death metal in general and Angelcorpse in particular, and Mr. Warhead certainly has the musical chops to back it up. This is a pretty impressive offering and until the day that Pete Helmkamp and Gene Palubicki perhaps decide to give it another go, Wargrinder should be easily able to fill the void that Angelcorpse left behind.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Review by Alex on September 7, 2020.

Every time I listen to Þar Sem Skepnur Reika by Hræ, I get a different impression. It’s like walking into the same room every time only to see things arranged a different way. This is a strange black metal album in terms of its musicianship and the way its presented. Each instrument is tuned and played in such a way that you'd believe they possess their own minds; though simultaneously functioning cooperatively.

Þar Sem Skepnur Reika could loosely be identified as a mixture of first and second wave black metal for a simplified description. I'd hate to give you a more complex, observant interpretation to avoid writing a fucking novel.

The instrumentation somewhat disrupts conventionalism in black metal through the guitar volume being a very dominant parent to the rest of the music. The dual battle of riffs appear independent and incompatible with each other, yet still manages to entertain the idea of functionality when (at times) twin harmonic sections are introduced such as on 'Hryllingurinn'. This faceoff of sorts helps in mobilizing the music, which utilizes a formula that is optimized and challenged in minuscule ways though definitive enough to point out.

Þar Sem Skepnur Reika goes beyond the instrumental analysis one could provide, as often times than not, it seems as a transcendental recording. You feel as though meticulous, mental self-inflicted incisions are being made with songs the likes of 'Drep' or even the more conventionally composed finale, 'Paradìs'. The music here engages your cognitive muscles by encouraging you to scrutinize and solve the puzzle it presents. Not the easiest of tasks judging from the artwork. Hræ invites you to crouch under their semi-technical, slithering sonicism, to at least partake in the vision shared on Þar Sem Skepnur Reika.

I did think there were a few moments in which the music appeared to be operating on saline as though creativity had stagnated, but they were very brief and did not prove to be detrimental by any measure. The vocals appear as dark and guttural utterances, rather than barked-out shrieks or growls which I admire provided they complement the music instead of being a driving force. The guitars fluctuate amidst high and mid ranged frequencies, whilst the bass flutters in congruence with the mindful, though imposing drumming.

Like showing up to a crime scene, where multiple scenarios would make sense, but the truth of the event is presented as the least plausible if proposed; Þar Sem Skepnur Reika compels the listener to monitor and develop an analysis of what transpired during the time spent with the material. At its surface, only the very elementary is revealed; however, if you dare investigate beyond the veil, you'd find a world constantly changing while presenting new mysteries within its cold, emotionless assertions.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10