UNHOLY CRAFT

Today, Purity ThroughFire announces June 21st as the international release date for the highly anticipated third album of Norway’s Unholy Craft, Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig, on CD and vinyl LP formats.

Despite only forming in 2023, Norway’s Unholy Craft have already released two full-lengths as well as a split with Vorgfang – all in their first year. Such feverish activity, however, is not all that surprising when it comes to Peregrinus, who also numbers such concurrent cults (and labelmates) Solus Grief, Kvad, Hjemsøkt, and most recently Heraldic Blaze among his many endeavors. As always with Unholy Craft, the intention is to play super-traditional Scandinavian black metal as it was performed (“exclusively”) during the glorious 1990s.

And so, unsurprisingly (thankfully!), that is what one gets with Unholy Craft‘s third full-length, Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig…or is it? A relatively unique entry in Unholy Craft‘s canon, Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig features more fleshed-out songwriting transposed onto the band’s rawest soundfield to date. Indeed, where their previous records featured that cold & clipped style of production endemic to Norway in the mid ’90s, Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig maintains a muffled, daresay warmer style of recording which helps elevate these more anguished & yearning compositions far beyond those treading the “raw black metal” Bandcamp boards. Deft shifts in tempo further help these eight new tracks hit harder, and when a simultaneously ascending / descending riff yawns forth from that void, the sum effect is stultifying. Thus, all told, while Unholy Craft continue to add to the hallowed tradition of Darkthrone’s Peaceville trilogy, Hat-fronted Gorgoroth, and the first Ancient album – or, going deeper, the very cult likes of Kvist, Sorhin, and Fimbulwinter – Peregrinus and company are taking subtly bolder strides into their own mythical snow with Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig.

“So cold and full of splendor retracing steps to that which once was. Across frozen ground. Towards That which beckons and pulses in darkness. Swayed by that which befell all. Those that dwell beyond the reach of light. Night skies conquering, looming, over bleeding daylight.”

In the meantime, hear the brand-new track “Into the Cold Winter Night”  here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Unholy Craft (Norway)’sSaa Mørkt, Saa Mektig
1. Into the Cold Winter night
2. Saa Mørkt, Saa Mektig
3. Jærtegn
4. Evig Er Nattehimmelen
5. Betrayal, Wrath, Judgement
6. Den Siste Lange Sorg
7. La Asken Regne
8. The Nighttime Spear Piercing

MORE INFO:
www.1unholycraft.bandcamp.com 

www.purity-through-fire.com

Today, Purity Through Fire announces February 27th as the international release date for  the striking second album of Norway’s Unholy Craft, Naar All Tid er Omme, on CD format. The vinyl version will follow later this year, as will the band’s chronological debut album via different underground labels.

Unholy Craft is the work of one Peregrinus, whose concurrent Solus Grief is newly initiated into the Purity Through Fire cult. Indeed, Unholy Craft play traditional, CULT black metal from ancient Scandinavia, taking influence from the obvious – Darkthrone’s Peaceville trilogy, Hat-fronted Gorgoroth, the first Ancient album – to, more so, the very cult likes of Kvist, Sorhin, and Fimbulwinter. As such, the band’s Naar All Tid er Omme debut is a veritable blast from the past, but one thankfully exuding personality and a freshness of approach. 

For one, Peregrinus’ fully physical execution maintains a more blown-out rawness in line with the modern raw black metal scene. But, for another, that rawness doesn’t mask a lack of ability. Far from it, actually: the mainman exudes equal skill on all instruments and puts those enviable chops to use across songwriting that keeps it traditional and yet puts interesting, almost-deviant twists to it along the way. In that sense, Unholy Craft‘s craft honors second-wave black metal’s initial unorthodoxy, when most of its earliest bands each maintained their own approach – when the future lay wide open, as it were. That’s in the past now, but Naar All Tid er Omme resurrects those glorious times with magickal ease and elan. Unholy Craft are coming to a church near you!

Grab a torch with the brand-new title track “Naar All Tid er Omme” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Unholy Craft (Norway)’s Naar All Tid er Omme
1. Naar All Tid er Omme
2. Vitriolic Winds of Hate
3. En Askedrøm
4. We Are Your Death
5. For Thee I Long
6. As I Gaze Upon the End
7. En Sjels Pinsle
8. I Taaken