Sørbyen, released in September 2012 by Hypnotic Dirge Records continues the experimental path of the previous full length album and it still is a very exotic, yet strange release, even for 2012.

Sørbyen like “Melancolie Urbaine” is the result of our anxiety, depression and boredom, states that simply amplify in this urban jungle we call “cities”.

A dance with the asphalt, the first track on the album starts with a classy jazzy/soul moment, perfect for a night audition , but quickly transforms itself in a hectic post black metal song, with some really quick guitar riffs and drum beats. Moments specific to the dark metal scene, okay, maybe you can go somewhere near the “city life” influences found in Lifelover or better, in Sanctas Poenas. Crawling, the next song on the album releases the trip hop influences, sadly, it’s not making a big impact.

Soerbyen is a very dark and atmospheric song, slow drum beats, oppressive bass lines … 4 minutes of urban desolation, depression.

From the slow passages we jump to a really fast track, with a little bit post-punk in the intro, A kill for a hug is the perfect example of Netras ability to surprise and also to perfectly combine post-black metal elements with some trip-hop passages. This song is something similar to Amesoeur, but a little bit more “electric”.

Streetlamp Obsession and Emlazh have more powerful trip-hop influences, Streetlamp only with some passages throughout the song, but Emlazh in entire, a little bit less at the end.

From here, until the end, there are six more songs … songs that continue this experimental path, same influences but none of the songs are similar. I will let you discover them.

Still, one of this six, “Concrete Ocean” is probably the most mature song of them all, a perfect depressive black metal track, great distorted guitars, inspired dbm vocals … probably the best track on the entire album.

Not sure if there are more to be said about this album, it’s intriguing, it’s unexpected, it’s a perfect mix of urban life painted in a gloomy grey. Maybe you’ll find it strange at the first audition, but for sure you’ll find interesting things for a one man band after a re-listen