Norwegian Black Metallers SLAGMAUR Unleash 'Svin'

SLAGMAUR, one of the most original and mysterious of Norway's recent crop of black metallers, have released their latest album, "Svin", on Germany's Black Hate Records. "Svin", previously released as a demo, forms the first part of the "Three Protocols of Fosen Trilogy", and marks its completion. The other two parts are "Skrekk", released in 2006, and "Domfeldt", which includes a track from APTORIAN DEMON's Ghash, released earlier this year.

No one knows much about the identity of the band which, aside from its creator General Gribbsphiiser, includes Lt. Wardr on drums and Aatselgribb on vocals, and the only photos to have been made public have the members bewigged and heavily disguised. Rarely do they give interviews although they have been known to get a little heated with each other in the studio, and wreak a certain amount of havoc. The music has been described as "twisted and sinister" and defies categorizing. The band purposefully arranges the sound in a distorted audio environment, layer upon layer, in order to challenge the listener to separate the different elements that Gribbsphiiser imbeds into the compositions — the differing moods of the listener bringing different elements to the fore.

"Svin" comes in a limited edition of 1,000 copies, in a six-panel digipack and an eight-page color booklet, with Norwegian artist Robert Høyem having produced all the artwork. The first copies ordered will come with a special "church burning" matchbox as a tribute to the origins of black metal, the sound of which the band all grew up with and most admires.

Tracks from the new album, and as well as from others, can be heard on the band's web site at www.slagmaur.com.