Norna - Norna - Metal Epidemic

Norna – Norna
Release Date: 30th August 2024
Label: Pelagic Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Post-Metal, Doom, Sludge.
FFO: Primitive Man, Lo!, Neurosis, Cult Of Luna, Yob, The Old Wind, Breach.
Review By: Mark Young

Pelagic Records continue with their curation of all thing’s quality with another slab of thickened riffs, courtesy of Norna who bring you their self-titled second album to close out August in some considerable style. Make no mistake, this is bleak and uncompromising as the nations that birthed it. There is no gentle introduction, no rising orchestral movement, it is just straight into Samsara, droning chords with stretched beyond belief vocals. Recognising that it could be considered traditional to continue with that measure right through, they opt for a subtle repeating part before booting back to full violence. For Fear of Coming has this massive build to it. Initially content with efficient use chord use until around 2 mins 40 where they drop this bomb, it’s so heavy it just stops you in your tracks. These touches give them so much more to say, and yes there are traditional doom moments of repeating measures, but when listened to in the context of the song you can forgive them. Ghost continues along this path of musical power, the drumming on this one is just amazing, Marc Theurillat providing power and poise, being the anchor to which Tomas and Christophe can navigate around. As the song progresses it keeps its shape but somehow moves outside of it and the first half is complete.

Shine By Its Own Light opens with a more subtle approach, which does nothing to prepare for the next 8 minutes that unfolds. This initial opening is supported by ambient noise, the simple drum measure set against a building tension, and then bang in comes the noise. It is majestic, the central idea stretched out as far as they can. It’s heavy whilst being as clear as a bell and segues into Shadow Works which offers the same ride but in condensed form. It feels slightly looser than the preceding music, a willingness to embrace a groove. And it certainly does groove as it leads us into the final track, The Sleep, and it takes the groove from Shadow Works and gives it a bit of pep. The added feeling of movement doesn’t detract from the heaviness or the attack that has been our companion for the last 33 minutes. The chord stabs, working with those economical melody lines that gradually feed out. It’s familiar but not a repetition, it is the execution of an idea, of how they feel this music should sound, and it is royal.