Svart Lotus - Self-Titled EP

A trip through the Norwegian woodland.

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on December 17th 2021) 

One of my favourite things to do when I need new music to find is to peruse my significant other’s metal playlist. It’s nothing to scoff at, both in terms of length and quality. It’s through that playlist that I found the subject of today’s review, Svart Lotus’ self-titled EP. A side project of 1349’s Tor Stavenes, the music presented here differs from that of his alma mater, instead offering us a more varied and less aggressive experience, to positive results.
The best, and simultaneously worst part about this release is the first track. “Ferdamann” is both the longest, and best song here. Despite it being built around one very simple motif, it’s quite varied, with the band adding layers of atmosphere through chants and other subtle additions. Special mention should go to Stein Bjella for his performance here, his bass playing adds a lot to the track thanks to how technical it is, which isn’t something you see often in black metal. The way it gently pulsates and rumbles underneath the guitars inspires this feeling of being in a forest, whose natural sounds fill the air, instilling a calmness in the listener.
Like I said though, “Ferdamann” being the opener is also this EPs biggest weakness. The other tracks, while not bad, are much shorter, which leads to them being overshadowed by it. They all feel like they were built around showcasing a cool moment in them, and don’t have much to offer outside of it. “Vi som venter i dypet” has some really neat lead work, as does “Castle Freak”, but their staying power is diminished by how short they are (the only song that breaks 4 minutes is the opener). They could have all used a minute or two more in their runtime, enhancing their staying power.
The production on display is quite good, and definitely one of the EPs stronger aspects. It’s slightly warmer than most black metal, but still retains its atmospheric qualities. The guitars sound organic, with a sharp tone, while the bass adds some more texture to them. The drums also sound quite crisp, which serves the music nicely, seeing as they help change things up on a lot of the songs. The mixing is solid, my only grievance with it is that the cymbals are a touch too loud, and the songs could’ve benefitted from them being a little lower.
Svart Lotus is a solid little EP that despite its brevity shows quite a bit of variety. Sure, it might be a little front loaded, but it makes for a good listen regardless of its (admittedly minor) shortcomings. One thing’s for sure, it definitely put me on a rather interesting band, which I would love to see evolve further in the future.
Highlights: Ferdamann, Vi som venter i dypet

Rating: 79% 

  

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