Release date: 29th June 2018
Fredagsmys, the fifth full-length album from Vanhelga, is perhaps what you might expect from the Swedish black metal band. It follows on in largely the same vein as their previous releases and whilst good, it winds up as one of their weaker releases due to the lack of variety.
It’s a little difficult to fully connect with the music as well, as it doesn’t immediately grab you. Fredagsmys is more of a slow burner, with some of the songs sounding a little too similar to differentiate from one another, but nevertheless there are also some gems nestled amongst the piece as well. Penultimate track You Are Temporary has this wonderfully melancholic vibe to it courtesy of the keyboard line, and the emotive vocal performance gives it an extra boost as well.
However, Fredagsmys is not necessarily an album you’ll keep wanting to return to. In short, there’s just nothing massively memorable about the collection of songs and at times the music just blends together, so it’s difficult to remain focused as you continue to listen. There’s no doubting the skills and abilities of the band but they haven’t quite hit the mark this time around.
If you like your black metal melancholic and dark, then it’s perhaps worth giving this a try – but it does have to be said that Vanhelga has achieved better than this.
5/10
