Forgathered in collective summon of a brief yet dramatic rêve lucide Arvika, Sweden-based heavy metal quartet Command feed into the dark-black hallucinatory delirium of solitude on this impressive debut full-length album. A slow-waltzed dream state in escalating speed metallic overtures ‘Resver‘ was prompted by an intensified collaboration of its membership wherein their collective embodiment would became severe enough to preempt not only a name change for the band but also a direct shove to the boundaries of heavy metal as they knew it. The result is a matured and impassioned gallop through their protagonist’s swiping at unreal shadows and shouting after horrors envisioned before collapsing into pitiless self-examination.

Command formed circa 2016 under the name Commando and didn’t change their name until the completion of this album in 2023. Though folks intently tuned into the Swedish heavy metal underground today might recognize these fellowes from Midnatt, when they’d started the original version of the band their collective resumes largely consisted of a couple members stint in briefly active thrash metal group Wendorizer. In looking into their other projects one cannot mistake the collective font of youthful metal-headed energy which set its enthusiasm admirably toward thrash and traditional heavy metal within the last decade or so. In terms of their years as Commando (2016-2023) these folks had impressed High Roller Records enough with their first demo tape (‘Demo 2018‘, 2018) and its ‘Show No Mercy‘ level barking vision of heavy metal that they’d release a stunning balls-out loud debut mLP (‘Rites of Damnation‘, 2020) a few years later. The dark and confrontational vocals of Robin Bidgoli were a force to get the ball rolling on that record but it was the snaking and stabbing riffcraft that surrounded each piece which’d left it feeling like ‘Hell Awaits‘ devolved back to 1982, an unfocused and demented set of songs which’d nonetheless felt rousing. From that point it seems they’d regrouped, gathered together en conclave to create something which was not only more worthy of their individual interests but in order to serve a more intentionally crafted full-length experience. In this sense, and per my own taste, they’ve succeeded.

With every bit of control exacted over their creation and a remarkably changed result in hand the choice to change the name of the band to Command isn’t as superficial as it seems, though the quasi-diarized narrative of ‘Resver‘ intimates a long and horrid personal sojourn in its midst the story behind the scenes is that these four folks took it upon themselves to do-it-themselves in most every aspect for the sake of control. Of course complete and utter freedom comes with a call to strong personal accountability and self-directed fortitudes and it seems the process of recording, mixing and art direction has produced a distinctive yet sublimely realized production value in their hands. This comes with some thanks to mastering from Jamie Elton, a sound engineer for some of the best releases out of Electric Assault and Dying Victims of late. The sound design here is contained by a black shroud which isn’t oppressive so much as it is expansive in the way many ancient black/thrash metal records are with vocals echoing at an upward arc but splashing back across the stage nonetheless. Drums are set aback per indirect focus (the snare feels almost oaken at times) and a basal hazed-over layer of swerving rhythm guitar is built upon by sharper mids and higher tones for when tremolo-picked shapes finish off their spicier runs. Clean belt-level bass guitar tones ensure the dynamic movement of the rhythm section is both a pointed focus and a droning jog depending on the tone of each scenario, with most calling for repetitious strides and broad swinging movements. There is a looming sensation of existential dread, fear and delusion hanging over ‘Resver‘ as its design does well to set Command‘s performances shouting into a not too far-distant void while still resembling a heavy metal band in somewhat realistic space.

From the onset of opener “Nightfall” there hangs an ominous and distraught tone expressed throughout the entirety of ‘Resver‘ which is distinct compared to the cold shouted railing of ‘Rites of Damnation‘, an oil-slicked zone of frustration and lonesome mentality which is tangentially akin to later In Solitude (or, even third LP era Tribulation) in terms of conjuring a similarly tense level of dramatism but not so much that their work escapes its intimate Lovecraftian introspection. This holds us in a headspace not so drastically removed from the rhythmic motion of Sweven‘s more focused periods of galloping repetition or Encyrcle‘s underrated and perhaps even more dramatically stated ‘Deeper‘ as the half hour of ‘Resver‘ works through this neatly finessed, largely complete thought. We can temper expectations away from a ‘blackened heavy metal’ result akin to, say, Slægt‘s transformational ‘Domus Mysterium‘ as this sound is less concerned with the glittery residues of 80’s heavy rock/metal and instead lends a darker soul to exaggerated heavy/speed metal movement. These collective forces first showcase their entanglement within the rhythm guitars and reverberating arpeggiation which introduces the first verses of “The Presence”, a movement which does well to match the intensity of the vocals as Bidgoli is yet shouting through his skull per effects that refract back upon the singer and his not yet ranting tangent. The most clear sign of maturation herein comes with the vocalist’s tempered cadence for dramatic effect, letting certain lines hang so that the riffs can cast their spell. This specific performance helps to differentiate this type of approach from that of a more gothic metal leaning result, in case my description had you expecting The Night Eternal or similar.

The speed/heavy metal side of the band is never fully deactivated here and this helps to serve an album which frequently busies itself with the riff or some manner of compelling rhythm as it hits upon its faster kick-paced pieces, such as “Twisted Mind” and “Hauntings”. This isn’t always the most profound portion of their songcraft though it helps push things along as the whole of the spin wraps into one consistent ~32 minute venture down into the cellar of the mind at night. There were yet a few clear standouts, deepest points of induction which’d hit for me nearby the middle of the full listen. The complete and driving dramatic turn of “Cold Below” and the never-ending whirling rhythmic motion of (my personal favorite piece) “Night Shapes” struck me as the peak of the experience and “Solitude” a fittingly high endpoint before compulsively hitting repeat; The sauntering, ever-meandering gait of Command‘s riffcraft quickly became a major part of my lasting fixation on ‘Resver‘, creating an ever-opening tunnel to press on through by way of relatively quick-to-repeat listens wherein their maze of echoing shouts and trotting drums were simple enough in motion but cacophonic in effect. Though the full listen did naturally bleed together into one mass, this’d been part of its appeal per its narrative sensibilities and short length.

There are a few dramatic pauses, some eerie shambling-in moments but overall Command‘ve kept ‘Resver‘ a riff-forward haunt which is tightly wrapped into one concise yet complete thought without any unnecessary distractions or over-stepped abilities. For my own taste it is the exact sort of heavy metal record that sticks well enough by way of a compelling repeat listen and obsessive rhythms which expand and contract in brilliantly dark ways when given due attention. At no point did the experience feel under-served or in need of exaggeration, making at least some solid case for a filler void, all impactful craft. A high recommendation. [83/100]

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