Ildjarn

Minnesjord (1994) 

Partial visions of life codified into unprocessed punk rhythms and monotone drumming machine patterns, spewing forth from realms beyond the known. Ildjarn finds beauty through simplicity, something so raw and abstract and unforced, free of all "objectivity" and opposed to musical conventions. It is so feral that it becomes magical. Like the moonlight shining through the trees, so simple, yet transcendentally caught in a moment of reflection.

Det Frysende Nordariket (1995)

'Det Frysende Nordariket' stems from the compilation of three of Ildjarn's demos from the days when he was still producing Black Metal that was both raw and abstract. Often demo compilations are disfragmented and do not quite fit together, but this in another league. It's almost perfect in what it does and what it sets out to achieve. Using raw Black Metal riffage that is a skeleton even when held up against the simplicity of Darkthrone on 'Transylvanian Hunger', we are shown fragments of experience and perspective throughout the compilation. Indeed, at time this is minimalist punk with a much darker vibe. It is not terribly varied over the hour aesthetically, except perhaps the slightly noticeable change in production when it goes from one demo to another. What makes Ildjarn special is that every song or idea feels as if it were a fragment of something bigger, as if by piercing together every strand of what were presented here we would have a greater understanding of this dark world. But where this crosses the line into brilliance is how it always gives you the feeling of your being an outsider that can only look inside, just out of reach of the key.