CoC : Himinbjorg - In the Raven's Shadow : Review

Himinbjorg - _In the Raven's Shadow_
(Red Stream, 2000)
by: Aaron McKay (9 out of 10)

I am more than a bit taken with a group that has a song title "In the Forest of the Demons from Within". I do find myself, however, returning time and again to the purely instrumental and somewhat provokingly peaceful construction of "Dream Walker" (not to be confused with "Spiritwalker" by The Cult). What do I hear in this release from France's Pagan black metalists? I witness elder tales of ancient flights at midnight ingurgitated in the belly of nature's most treasured and esoteric abhorrences -- pure and simple. Perfect passages of pleasure and pain striped before the listener reflected in prophetic passages such as "Thiazi's Oyne" and "The Inverted Dimension". Edgar Allan Poe influences aside on my part, _In the Raven's Shadow_ is beautiful and majestically metal simultaneously. If you find yourself in some doubt after reading this review, please check out CoC's issue #39. It includes some insight into Red Stream's _To Live Is Ever to Be in Danger_. Himinbjorg has one unreleased track on that CD, "De Grenselose Sjoere", as well as "Rising", which can also be found on _ItRS_. You can't go wrong with either disc, but fans of the path less traveled will seek out _In the Raven's Shadow_; the not-so-adventurous will chose the Red Stream compilation's safety net, _TLIEtBiD_.

(article published 5/3/2000)

ALBUMS
4/7/2005	P Azevedo	5	Himinbjorg - Europa
3/14/2004	P Azevedo	7.5	Himinbjorg - Golden Age
5/13/2001	A McKay	9	Himinbjorg - Third
1/16/1999	A Cantwell	8	Himinbjorg - Where Ravens Fly