ALBUM REVIEW: Non Debellicata – Ragnarok

RAGNAROK are never the first name to spring to mind when one thinks of Norwegian black metal. Despite forming in the turbulent and infamous period of the 1990s and enjoying a career that spans over two decades, the quartet have never quite hit the same heights as their countrymen in MAYHEM or EMPEROR. This is a crying shame as the band’s studio output has always been consistently solid and with their ninth effort, Non Debellicata, this trend very much continues.

Almost picking up directly where 2016’s Psychopathology left off, Non Debellicata is a solid bout of vicious and razor-sharp black metal. Opening with the title track, the band waste no time in igniting a musical barrage of icy tremolo riffing from guitarist Bolverk and bassist Rammr, which does a brilliant job of setting the tone of the record whilst Jontho‘s signature piercing vocals cut through the chaotic mix incredibly effectively. It’s a solid start to the record.

Whilst black metal has enjoyed a period of creative re-imagination these past several years, for better or worse, Non Debellicata sticks firmly and religiously to the black metal rulebook. On the positive side, this is a record that is packed to the absolute brim with hook-laden riffing and maintains a cold and grim atmosphere from the first song until the last. Chapel of Shadow‘s intoxicating guitarwork is a prime example of this, demonstrating the band’s ability to create memorable passages of play, whilst Sanctimoneus‘ clever use of dynamics, in both the guitars and vocals, helps push the atmosphere front and centre.

Easily the best aspect to Non Debellicata is the record’s consistency and RAGNAROK rarely let the intensity drop throughout its ten track course. Bestial Emptiness stands as one of the album’s highlights thanks to a wicked flurry of menacing riffing and Jontho really excels with his barrage of shrieking vocals whereas Nemesis boasts some impressive leading guitar lines that demonstrates the skill within the band’s repertoire.

And yet, despite the firm and rigid approach RAGNAROK have built their name on, by following the rulebook is what actually prevents Non Debellicata elevating to the top of the pile. Whilst the record is consistent in both its approach and execution, it just falls short of being a truly phenomenal listen. In the album’s latter stages, RAGNAROK continue their brand of pummelling blackened noise, never unveiling a curveball to keep you on your toes. The final salvo of The Gospel of Judas Iscariot, Jonestown Lullaby and Asphyxiation keep the relentless audible savagery cranked up to the max, with a few subtle dynamics thrown in for good measure, but by this point it just feels repetitive and predictable. Given the creative boom the genre has experienced these past several years, and a horde of sensational records released this year especially, there’s a feeling that Non Debellicata will fall victim to being left by the wayside.

Non Debellicata certainly plays it safe, never threatening to go off the beaten track and the result is a record that sits comfortably within the black metal sphere. Everything RAGNAROK offer here is consistently solid and fans of black metal, especially those yearning for the sounds of the old school, will find a lot to like here. And yet, without the sprinkling of creative innovation that would have surely propelled the album to the realms of true greatness, Non Debellicata falls just shy of belonging in the upper echelons of black metal’s class of 2019. A consistent offering once again from RAGNAROK but a record that does exactly what it says on the tin.

Rating: 7/10

Non Debellicata is out now via Agonia Records.

Like RAGNAROK on Facebook.