Babalon’s Bands II- Forever Possessed (Celestial Bloodshed)
So it seems that wherever you go today, you hear about Nidrosian black metal. As long as "wherever" is in niche metal territory, and of that territory, in niche black metal territory. But for once, the hype is extremely justified. Nidaros (or modernly, Trondheim,) has been home to one exciting (in the dark, gloomy and abrasive black metal way) band after another.
While the other scenes in Norway have by no means stopped producing quality Weltschmerz, the Nidrosian scene has produced a stripped down, dark sound all of its own. We can attribute this uptick to Terratvr Possessions and the magical capacity of Ole Aune for finding the most combative and abrasive acts and bringing them to the forefront, but we have to attribute a good deal of it to Steingrim "Mehimoloth" Torson and Celestial Bloodshed.
Setting up shop at the turn of the millennium, Celestial Bloodshed had a nine year run that was deeply influential to say the least. The dark, unwieldy and almost raucous atmosphere, influenced by the likes of old Impaled Nazerene,is evident from the very beginning, the Mitt Rike demo. But if you go look it up, you'll hear immediately that it's not quite the same bag of chips. Whereas Impaled Nazerene can be said to be Punk/Black Metal, Celestial Bloodshed just has this loose, less ceremonial aggression that fans of Niklas Kvarforth's Shining will feel at home with.
That isn't to say the band doesn't do big at all, they do but it's a mournful and gritty depths "big" rather than a say, Emperor orchestral majestic "big." This is extremely evident on their first self titled EP, where the takes two tracks and eight minutes to cross realms as diverse as Taake and Shining to Mayhem and even hints of Doom Metal.
For me though, and I imagine for many others, the zenith of Celestial Bloodshed and Mr. Steingrim's work came with the debut, "Cursed, Scarred, and Forever Possessed." It's somewhat hard to describe but the honesty of this record shines through in every moment. It all flows together in a manner which very few band manage, and this flow, this chemistry, is what set apart Celestial Bloodshed as a band. Luctus (who you might be more familiar with as Wraath, guitar and bass) builds these dark landscapes that lay the groundwork for Steingrim's varied and powerful vocals.
Sometimes it comes across as claustrophobic, sometimes it's wide and sprawling, but whatever the sound, Steingrim ties it together into a cohesive whole. The differences between say "Gospel of Hate" and "Truth Is Truth, Beyond the God" are monumental but they come across as a facet of a complex but representatively human album. Human anger, human desperation, human hatred. It touches upon the ethereal, the "celestial" but it never forgets this mortality. Whether it remembers it in loathing or in praise.
Here we take a step back from the work to give a little background as to what happened next in Celestial Blood's story. In order to show the utmost respect to both Steingrim and the surviving members I will do so only with a light tread and with the forewarning that this is how the story was relayed to me. I am not, and don't claim to be a source. On the night of April 30th 2009, Steingrim Torson was hit by an accidental gunshot and sadly passed away. He was only 25 years old at death, and yet he was already a giant.
The band, unwilling to let their comrade's memory go unsung. decided to finish an album of previously recorded materials entitled Ω (Omega.) The album could not be a more fitting sendoff to the man. A grand funeral oration of a record that evolves the band's sound while sounding very much in line with the original vision. The album definitely feels bigger in scope than the debut, more established. If the first was the band hungry, angry, and kicking, this is the band already using that distilled darkness to delve even deeper. Omega is a fitting title, because not only does this album stand at the gates of the abyss, but it explores beyond. The beauty of the beyond, grief, the majesty of time and death, and our relationship with them.
To that end, you'll see and hear some familiar voices lending a hand to celebrate and further empower the man's vision. Hoath Torog (most famously of the venerable Behexen) and Azazil (of Mare, Black Majesty and more) both guest on this record. Wraath (Luctus, most famously of...the list goes on and on but my favorite is One Tail, One Head) also contributes his evil, smokey vocals to the record, whereas he's only accredited for guitar and bass on the debut. Almost everyone from the band's circle made this beast come alive together. Sarath who did backing vocals on Cursed, Scarred and Forever Possessed is producing. They were both recorded at Brygga studios. Tying everything together nicely, the aforementioned Terratvr Possessions, the home of the modern Nidrosian scene, distributed both Ω and physical represses of Cursed, Scarred and Forever Possessed since 2012.
Look, as the saying goes "victory has a thousand fathers, defeat is ever an orphan" and the Nidrosian scene is a very victorious offspring. While many have some parentage of it, Steingrim Torson is definitely one of the strongest claimants to its fatherhood.
R.I.P, you legend, R.I.P