Published: April 29, 2024

Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher is such a suitable fit for black metal that it could have overtaken Tolkein’s lasting influence had it come out sooner. It certainly seems more relevant thematically, with Lord of the Rings focusing on mythology, rucking, and setting up camp to eat with your friends while The Witcher is about isolation, apathy, and how we define humanity. Hekseblad, the two-person black metal group, recognizes that on their debut Kaer Mohren and deliver ten tracks indebted to the source material. It’s dark and evil but in a Nosferatu-flickering-the-lights-on-and-off type of way. The thrill overtakes the content, which is something that occasionally gets tossed by the wayside when delving into evil second-wave worship. Hekseblad is a bit like Immortal in that sense — still true to the cult, but just plain fun to listen to. It’s black metal to show your dad.