“Barndommens Hjem”, which can be loosely translated as “Children’s Home,” features cover art depicting a house in a forest by a river that runs blood-red—how much more obscure can you get? The artwork was the first thing that caught my attention, as the Danish duo BB and LM were completely unknown to me. “Barndommens Hjem” is the third release from this Black Metal/Punk band, following a 2018 demo and the EP “Indebrændt.”
NyreDolk is Black-Metal-Punk-Avantgarde-Grindcore-Whatever—I have no idea which drawer to open in the massive cabinet of Metal genres, and honestly, it doesn’t even matter. The style NyreDolk delivers here is just downright killer.
Gritty walls of guitar, thick distorted bass licks, aggressive drumming—it’s dystopian and utterly destructive. This band leaves a trail of devastation in your mind.
With the opener “Familievold binder blodets bånd” (“Family Violence Binds Blood Ties”), it becomes immediately clear that despite Denmark ranking as the second happiest country, things aren’t all sunshine and roses. Intense Black Metal guitars, heavy bass, and relentless drum blasts drive the shrieking vocals, which seem to be drowning in the chaos—absolutely glorious.
We move on to the more punk-oriented “Den Forsømte Barndom” (“The Neglected Childhood”), reinforcing the impression that this album serves as a means of processing childhood trauma. The aggression in this music isn’t just a gimmick—it sounds brutally real.
A bit later, with “Bloddig, blottet og sårbar” (“Bloody, Exposed, and Vulnerable”), things take a more experimental turn—yet it remains incredibly groovy. “Et Ægte Brut” (“A Real Bride”) is one of the many highlights of this album—man, this is good. Short? Absolutely. But sometimes, you don’t need more time to get your point across.
The closing track, “Omringet af kærlighed” (“Surrounded by Love”), reveals a different side of NyreDolk. Not only is it the longest song on the album at over five minutes, but it also contains the most Pure Black Metal elements. Additionally, it features guest vocals from Emilie Lorentzen, who performed live with Heilung for several years.
With this first full-length release, NyreDolk makes a powerful statement. This is an impressive display of Aggro Black Metal that, at just 25 minutes, needs not a second more to deliver its message.
90/100