I am not sure if Svartsyn really sounds “Swedish” - like either the Dissection strain or the Marduk strain. What I will say is that I enjoy this over almost all other Swedish black metal. Like mentioned before - the Swedish pantheon is diverse, but limited: Unpure, Arckanum, Thornium, Sorhin, etc. It’s this swath of bands that sit somewhere in between the other two poles. 

Svartsyn seems to be a band that has aged over time into something refined and exalted. Not the type of band whose earliest material is best - they hit their stride at “His Majesty” (2000) and continue a very spotty run into this album, “Timeless Reign” -  in terms of settling into their sound. 

The early lingo of “*His* Majesty” LP even predates the NOEVDIA switch that many of their contemporaries were planning in that moment (Watain, Funeral Mist). See “My fists are *him*” etc etc. “If you want to see *his* monuments, then just look around.”  The beginning of pronoun politics - see the Katharsis chapter in this movement for further insights. 

From all the way over here, I would just assume that Svartsyn was not considered “serious enough” to be invited into the NOEVDIA camp that started in 2004. What I would assume is Svartsyn at the peak, were in a different lane, but it’s odd to think of Sorhin getting a reissue boxset and Svartsyn is still in the shadows - in 2004, Svartsyn were releasing with the noble and ironclad, teutonic “Blut & Eisen” label. From all the way over here- same difference. 

I will pause for one moment and ask the question though - ‘What is serious?” Or taking something “Seriously” and the heights of certain Svartsyn songs embody this seriousness better than most Swedish BM. For a person who appreciated Arckanum more than a Funeral Mist etc. , then Svartsyn is your shadowy counterpart to Arckanum’s folklore based identity.

A terrible cliche that always needs to be sharpened: *this is music after all. It goes into the ears and does its thing.* You can tell me with language how serious you are all day long, go right ahead. 

Svartsyn may suffer from a *volume of music* problem, but the great moments are guaranteed some of the best Swedish BM. On “Sanctus Satanas”The music of Svartsyn here is regal and steely - sweeping shadows of riffs and piercing leads. It sounds simplified and basic compared to the Dissection strain - but the tone is spot on and the moments memorable, even though its more misty in its guitar tone (I think this record might even be just one guitar track\[!\]). 



Svartsyn (SWE) - Timeless Reign LP 2007 (Carnal records / Blut & Eisen)