Borne of transcendental hubris and left to feed upon their own inherent malice for vigor Trondheim, Norway-based black metal quartet FUNERAL HARVEST return beyond first ignition calling down into the dark, summoning the energies of the chthonic son to illustrate the adversarial spirit on their latest EP release. Intending to incite revelation unto ruin ‘Malum in Se‘ speaks to evil itself as the path toward enlightenment while tearing through a brief yet energetic mustering of defiant, inventive black metal pieces. Their work continues to wrench away from the pinning effect of exacting definition as this EP persists admirably within their tradition of varietal songcraft built from diabolic ingenuity.

Funeral Harvest formed as a trio circa 2016 under the direction of vocalist/guitarist Nathas (Fides Inversa, Ritual Death) where an initially ritualistic and raw black metal sound developed via few minor releases. Though I’d gone into some considerable detail per the band’s discography in review of their praiseworthy debut LP (‘Redemptio‘, 2022) a few years ago describing their evolution isn’t so cut-and-dry as each release appears contained, specific to its own conjure or embodiment of spiritual directive. Their music generally calls for a basal furor relevant to early Gorgoroth while carrying clear inspiration from the band’s local scenery, an approach which I’d likened to One Tail, One Head in prior reviews and of course some relevant actors are included in each of their recordings… not to mention there is a fine Celestial Bloodshed cover tying off the end of this EP. Expectations heading into a new release from these folks largely involve a creative streak pertaining to their vocal expression and a general superior thread of riffcraft to suit the evolution of past releases.

The suggestion today is that ‘Malum in Se‘ is intended as a spiritual inversion of ‘Redemptio‘ and its illustration of the wrath of the divine, instead acting as an invocation of the adversarial spirit. In this way Funeral Harvest‘s songcraft should prove no less energetic in its thrum but altered in its voice, or, the general tumult created. With these lofty expectations set Side A is deliverance, the utterance intended as well as the major feature of this otherwise equal-sided ~22 minute EP. “Draco Nequissime” and “Djævulen” each invoke some manner of vocal temperament which includes guest work from Wraath (Darvaza, et al.) as well as some additional lead guitar work from Enstad of Beyond Man and these are not slight points of interest but an amplification of their respective ideas. “Draco Nequissime” is naturally set to grasp the throat of the listener via its immediately trampling force and the group of hymnal shouts which introduce the song and I’d emphasize the sensation of force as it truly feels like a troop arriving in menace throughout. This is not the only highlight on the EP but it is probably the most dramatic example of what sets the bands work apart.

“Djævulen” is comparatively solitary in its bopping yet decayed funereal dirge, a moonlit ritual dance lead by acidic rasps which is given some extended profundity via key points of synth/keyboard accompaniment. Those organesque keys, which are included on all of the EP’s tracks, save the coldly thrashing blaze of “Angel of Violence”, are once again an important touch applied to Funeral Harvest‘s signature. This is reinforced by the closer, “Truth is Truth, Beyond the God”, in the sense that if you didn’t know it was a Celestial Bloodshed song it’d be fair to cite as the conclusory apex for the sound and sense of rhythmic diaboli developed on the full listen. It fits into the whole deal at any rate. — As is the case with each of the band’s releases ‘Malum in Se‘ manages an entertaining, memorable showing without sacrificing their own defiant bite taken from black metal. A high recommendation.

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