Adveniat Hiems is an ambient black metal band that dishes out short concept albums inspired by northern mythology and folktales. “Loki,†Adveniat Hiems’ new EP, is named after a shapeshifter in Norse myths. The group is with the net label Ekleipsi.

They are not as loud and “noisy†as other metal groups, and they do not blow off my eardrums. I think they are quite merciful despite an anagram of their name, invade atheism. I actually like the fiery combination of their drums and guitars. What I really like about Adveniat Hiems, though, is their choice to stick to concepts that are close to me – myths and legends.

There are three main guys in the group: Aganush (bass), Ragno (drums), and Ishtar (keyboards). For the “Loki†EP, they were joined by Andrea on vocals. FrostClick had a chance to ask the band members about their odd-sounding names, and we found out that “Ragno†means spider, “Ishtar†is a goddess of love, war, and sex; and Aganush is a mysterious name and their guitarist , who came up with the name, would like to keep it that way.

The band told us that they are “deeply touched and involved by the evocative power of northern mythology and its sagas.†Adveniat Hiems only wishes to express their nature and feelings into their music. “Our nature and feelings bring us to the heart of eternal winters, just right beside the giants, among the everlasting night of the Ragnarok: that’s why we choose to stick to these particular concepts.†They are such a poetic group, as the words in the single and EP title “Loki,†would suggest: “For every death I die / I come back even stronger / For every day in hell / the more my soul gets forged.â€

My only issue with the EP is that every song sounds an extension of another, whether as a rise or a fall, the beats do not vary too creatively and so it is not great from repetitive listening. But if you’re into dark metal infused with folklores and mythological characters, you should give this EP a chance. It will only take a little more than 20 minutes to listen to it entirely.

Related Links:
Adveniat Hiems’ Official Blog
Adveniat Hiems on MySpace
Adveniat Hiems on Facebook

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