Black Metal and Beyond – Dødsfall and Zustand Null at Rock In, Oslo

Two different interpretations of extreme metal met each other in Oslo when the Sweden-based black metal band Dødsfall and local hidden gem Zustand Null (in the photo) played at Rock In on Saturday, 12 October. Having been formed in Norway in 2009, both bands displayed great qualities, but one was more immersive than the other.

Upon arriving at the venue, I found out that the first band would start no sooner than two and a half hours after the doors had been opened. I’d tried to look for the schedule on the venue and the bands’ social media with no luck, but it was a good opportunity to socialize and enjoy the dark and surrealistic pieces of art that were on display. 

Then came a storm—a vortex of emotions and emptiness, the veil between dreams and reality. When the four-piece Zustand Null entered the stage and started playing, I knew it would be special. The band may be largely unknown, but based on this gig, they are one of the most interesting extreme metal bands around – at least of the ones I know.

Zustand Null was established already in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2017 that their music would be released publicly. The debut EP “At the Limit of Sanity” paved the way for the group’s first full-length album “Beyond the Limit of Sanity” (2023), on which they indeed reached beyond limitations. Dissonant riffs and melodies are coupled with violent outbursts of blast beats, atmospheric nightmare-scapes and excellently rocking mid-tempo parts. Curiously enough, one of the singles from the album, “An Ocean of Nightmares”, has been remixed by the dark electronic mastermind ESA: Electronic Substance Abuse with great results. 

Even though I was blown away by Zustand Null’s debut album when I first heard it, it appears the band is even better live. According to Metal Archives, each member also plays in at least one other band, one of them the Norwegian black metal masters Koldbrann. Coupled with the fact that the group has played Norway’s largest metal festival Inferno this year, it was evident that they have a great share of experience. From the dynamic and ever-so-commanding harsh vocals to the tight rhythm section, everything fell into place. 

But besides technical prowess, Zustand Null offered something that even many of the more established acts seem to lack: an utterly transcendental stage presence. No corpse paint or fantasy armor was needed to conjure an awe-inspiring atmosphere that is difficult to put into words. Just as the band sang about the state between asleep and awake, it was as if you’re caught in a sleep paralysis and the only thing you can do is witness what’s to come. Only this time, it was an enjoyable experience.

The flow was briefly interrupted by a technical pause, during which the local guest vocalist had a chat with the audience and an audience member started to spontaneously sing on the microphone in Norwegian. I have witnessed more awkward pauses, and luckily it didn’t take too long. But as fun as it was, it drew me out of the band’s magnificent art for a minute. 

The rest of the set was performed with even more vigor than before, and songs like “At the Limit of Sanity” and “Walls of Life” hit the jackpot on all levels. The latter’s dissonant main riff brought the exceptional set to a perfect closure. Coupled with great sound quality and atmospheric strobe lights, the show didn’t leave much to desire except another opportunity to witness it again as soon as possible. 

Even though Zustand Null doesn’t call themselves a black metal band, I think they are exactly what black metal needs: the courage to break the mold without compromising on musical quality or reckless energy. The lyrics, too, convey a more multifaceted and at least equally haunting approach than the average black metal band. Now to wait for the second album.

After Zustand Null’s dissonant extreme metal, it was time to witness a more traditional approach to black metal. Originally formed in Bergen, Norway, Dødsfall carries many classic Scandinavian traditions. Black clothes, corpse paints, and necklaces depicting pentagrams and Lucifer’s sigil communicated quite clearly what the show was all about.

Melodic yet fierce, Dødsfall’s music reminded me of “At the Heart of Winter”-era Immortal and various black/thrash metal bands, coated with dead-serious Scandinavian melancholy. Since their formation in 2009, the band has released six full-length albums, the latest of which is “När mörkret är på väg” (2022). I’m largely unfamiliar with their discography, but being the black metal fan I am, I was eager to find out what was to come.

The howling harsh vocals, the beautiful melodies, and the reckless grooves sent chills down my spine. But not nearly as often as I had hoped. For each extraordinary moment, there seemed to be a familiar-sounding element that other bands had already executed better. Compared to Zustand Null and the countless black metal bands I’ve seen, Dødsfall could have used more energy on stage. It was clear that they could play well, but the performance struggled to elevate the music to the next level.

Fortunately, the latter half of the show was something different. This time, the familiar parts were arranged in a viciously catchy manner that I could only admire. The band immediately elevated their game from a routine show to a memorable celebration I would have loved to have more of. Despite having less audience than the first band, Dødsfall bewildered the crowd in an inspiring manner. Just as I thought the show was about to end, the band carried on and kept on delivering great black metal tracks. In the end, the crowd was longing for them to return to the stage like a wolf howling at the full moon.

I don’t think that each black metal band needs to reinvent the wheel, but when you operate in such an oversaturated genre, it can be difficult to stand out. While I liked the later songs in particular, I can’t help but feel that I’d already seen this before. A stronger stage presence could be just what the band needs, but based on the applause, most of us were more than satisfied. What a way to end a great evening.

A big thank you to everyone who made the event happen!