Angry Metal Guy

Shining // VII: Född förlorare
Rating: 4.0/5.0 — Jag säger NEJ (NEJ!) till etiketter!
Label: Spinefarm
Websites: myspace.com/shininghalmstad
Release Dates: EU: 2011.05.24 | US: N/A

Shining is about as hip as it gets among so called “underground” black metal bands, though really at this point, what with being signed to Spinefarm now, I guess they’re not super underground anymore. But whatever, success does not make a band sucky by its very nature—no, it’s Angry Metal Guy’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™ that does that. And with the anticipation building around VII – Född förlorare (English: Born Loser[s]) due to the myriads of issues that surfaced in the process of recording, mixing and getting the album even out, it pretty much should go without saying that I’ve really been looking forward to this record. Haven’t you been looking forward to it? Damn straight.

But first, I have an admission to make. When I reviewed VI, I got carried away. With the exception of one or two songs, I really can’t say that the record has lived up to the review I gave it. I was just so excited that the record had finally gotten to me and I reviewed it in the heat of a listening frenzy instead of letting it get ripe. When the best song on a record is a cover, then your record doesn’t deserve the score I gave it. So, I give VI a revised 3.0, because it was still good, but there were some glaring issues. The writing felt strange and forced and certainly didn’t live up to the expectations that Halmstad had set, and the guitar solos just really throw me for a loop. They were a bit like if Kvarforth were to go on stage in a Hello Kitty shirt or something. Vastly out of place.
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Har du nånsin märkt att svenska band faktiskt sällan får spela i Sverige? Det känns som de stora banden från Sverige åker på turné över hela världen men aldrig längre norrut i landet än Stockholm (om dom ens spelar i Sverige). De flesta som dyker upp gör så på festivaler under sommaren och helt ärligt är jag inget fan av festivaler (för dyrt för få bra band—undantaget är House of Metal, förstås). Men av alla svenska band som jag jättegärna skulle vilja se så finns det ett som jag aldrig lyckats se men måste se innan bandets slut: Shining. Jag vet att många inte skulle hålla med men jag tycker att Shining är lätt ett av Sveriges bästa band och medan VI: Klagopsalmer inte var lika bra som tidigare plattor, ser jag verkligen fram emot VII: Född Förlorare som släpps senare i år. Continue reading