Though the band’s chosen promo “picture” is a rather crude illustration, Karmanjaka is indeed a fully fledged progressive black metal five-piece from northern Sweden. The quintet originally began as a one-man operation launched in 2016 by guitarist Knut Hassel, but has since expanded to the current lineup of Hassel, guitarist Anton Palmborg, bassist Max Malmer, drummer Wille Sjöberg and vocalist Tim Svanberg.
The album we’re streaming here, Gates of Muspel—Karmanjaka’s third full length—is set for release tomorrow, February 11, via Grind to Death Records. Though the band claims some black metal leanings, the album definitely utilizes plenty of melody and more folk-inspired elements, and the production, courtesy of bassist Malmer, is crisp, clear and bold.
Here’s what the band had to say about its latest:
“Gates of Muspel might be our third album as Karmanjaka, but it is by far our most serious endeavor so far. The kind of metal we play is a bit unclear, but we combine elements from black metal, death metal, folk metal, and progressive metal alike. The lyrics on the album are heavily inspired by the Poetic Edda, which tells the old Norse creation myth of our ancestors.”
You can order the album on CD or digital formats here.
