DomJord - Sporer (2020)

1st print vinyl release by Vidfare Productions/The Ajna Offensive.

Plus my Sporer t-shirt limited to 50 copies from Holy Poison Design (hope I don't have to mention what that is!).

Whenever I have bought a t-shirt by Funeral Mist; Marduk; Triumphator etc. from their official Holy Poison webstore I have only gotten the best Metal t-shirt quality (now from Carton Merchandising).

In my opinion the much more common and what seems cheaper, Gildan shirts and especially their crap hoodies can fuck off!

Just got another t-shirt the DomJord logo one, also limited to 50 copies, from Holy Poison (see that one further down the post).

Also decided to get yet another Marduk t-shirt from there as well, cannot understand now why there were an inch hesitation from me to buy the Rom 5:12 one. Maybe because I already own a shit ton of Marduk shirts...

Well I have wanted it since the release a few weeks back. The Rom 5:12 is also limited to just 145 copies and looks fucking stunning.

But now on to the matter at hand so to speak.

I heard the DomJord project first in early 2020 and didn't know what to expect. If my terrible memory servers me correct there was a few songs on the NoEvDia Bancamp from Sporer. Or just one (?) but I was instantly hooked.

However already when I got my vinyl release this year. When I first could listen to it for the first time "properly" my opinion was that Daniel 'Arioch/Mortuus' Rostén had made the best album of 2020.

Daniel Rostén being best known as Arioch and Mortuus from Funeral Mist and Marduk. Had released what I consider to be my favorite album of 2020, thus far. But 6 months later that is still my number 1 choice of this infernal year.

Don’t remember if I ever have had any ambient album at the very top as the best record any year. Remember that I'm an old fuck nowadays also, well to those who I couldn't bother to give a fuck about anyway.

With the music "visualized and conceived" between 2012-19 by Rostén. He have with DomJord made the best Swedish Ambient Black Metal album ever with Sporer.

Also don't compare this to the classics from the 90's. This's something new, more fitting for the year 2020 and should appeal to older Ambient BM fans (maybe younger also).

Personally I think it's hard to define what's considered as pure Ambient BM. Trying to recall favorites from my past being a young adult during the 90's.

The two absolute classic albums at the time growing up was for me: The Mortiis (ex. Emperor) Vond - Selvmord and Satyr of Satyricon's own project Wongraven - Fjelltronen. Probably forgetting a bunch of records while writing this.

Can bands like Wardruna, Summoning, Hugsjá etc. be called Ambient Black Metal? For my own personal criteria, both yes and no. For Summoning or Skuggsjá/Hugsjá they use way too much guitar for me to consider them apart of these kind of records.

And if I included those bands mentioned and a bunch more ones like that then I have to mention a bunch more records.

Burzum; Isengard certainly have released albums with a bunch of Ambient songs. Burzum have also released some pure fantastic albums that I can certainly would label Ambient Black Metal albums especially towards "the end" of Varg Vikernes magnificent career.

Not gonna to be mentioning the Fenriz's Neptune Towers albums or Jon Nödtveidt's project De Infernali (although I kinda like those some reason, sometimes...) but they were never at any high point of this genre. 

Will DomJord be at the top in December? It could be the new Dawn of the Damned by Necrophobic that will be released in less then 2 weeks.

Maybe the Isengard lost/recording that will be released in less than a week with songs from 1989-93 Vårjevndøgn. Will be so good I'll have to change my rules for the 2020 album list? However rules are rules!

Other I have very soon in my possession like the only physical release of Lyfjaberg the 12'' white vinyl single by Wardruna. With just its one song won't change any rules. Although it's an excellent song both the video was released on streaming apps in early June it can't qualify for best album. I might have a Wardruna tatto on my forearm but it's not DomJord quality.

Anyway enough of my ramblings In the meantime buy the brilliant Sporer album and support the scene!

Praise And Hails to Daniel 'Arioch/Mortuus' Rostén along with his other work he does, whatever he does graphic design or his contributions with DOMJORD; FUNERAL MIST and MARDUK!!