Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Zornheym is not just another metal band from Sweden. Zornheym is a project by multi-instrumentalist Zorn (formerly of Dark Funeral), whose aim is to create a fusion of music, narration and visual storytelling. Two albums have already been released, centring on the Zornheim Asylum, its inmates and the doctors. In this dark and terrifying place, it remains unclear to this day who the mad ones actually are.
The third album, “Descending Into Madness”, serves as a prequel to the two previous albums. It delves deep into the early days of the mental asylum. What begins as a time of hope and happiness is quickly overshadowed by something far more sinister. But I don’t want to give too much of the story away here. You should be able to discover that for yourselves. Besides, this isn’t a storytelling session, but an album review.
From the very first track, “Prologue: From The Depths Of Sêlasee“, it becomes clear to everyone where Zornheym feel musically at home. The orchestral rendition of a cinematic intro pulses heavily, before being enriched towards the end by the band’s signature drum, guitar and bass ensemble. It flows seamlessly into “Deus Rex“. It begins at full speed, skilfully weaving brutal neck-breaking sections into the song before escalating into a rousing, sing-along chorus. Everything here is spot on: the riffs are brutal, the lead guitars are intricate, and the orchestration and choirs are bombastic – but only to the extent that they don’t overwhelm the rest of the song. A great piece of music.
“Somewhere Far Beyond” then shifts down a gear in terms of tempo. In every other respect, however, they really step it up a notch. The song is highly melodic, with greater emphasis on clean vocals, and the choirs also come more to the fore. Personally, I find the guitar solo in the second half of the song particularly rousing. It’s simply mind-blowing what Zorn manages to coax out of those strings.
What follows is a piece in four acts. “Deep Below” begins with a section that captivates with its incredibly rousing riffing and a melody line that is second to none. The chorus lends the section even greater depth. Then it suddenly becomes quieter, more subdued. The clean vocals create an illusion of security for the listener, which is then shattered by the harsh vocals towards the end of this section. This is followed by a turbulent, almost progressive sequence, crowned by female operatic vocals. It’s a shame that the press release provides no details about the guest musicians. The track concludes with a canon that finally lures the piece’s central character, Anneliese, into its clutches.
And it’s with that very same “Anneliese” that things carry on. The song is now back to a more straightforward style. Solid symphonic metal of the very highest calibre. A brief interlude allows us – at least, that’s my interpretation – to witness the slow deterioration of Anneliese’s mental state, before the song builds towards its conclusion with highly melodic passages.
“Gallow’s Oak” is a real head-banger! I fell in love with the pounding riff straight away. Having been spoilt so far by plenty of surprises and musical variety, “Gallow’s Oak” is refreshingly simple. And I certainly don’t mean that in a negative way. Here we have a point in the album where you can simply sit back and relax. A little breather before the album moves into its final phase. However, that only applies from a musical perspective; lyrically, something terrible is happening here. But as I don’t want to give anything away, I won’t go into any more detail here.
Next up is “The Funeral March“, and the name says it all. In a driving three-four time, the song marches through your ears. I find the interpretation and incorporation of Chopin’s “Marche Funèbre” particularly impressive. And whilst I’m still revelling in the final notes of “The Funeral March“, “Descending” is already blaring in my ears! What a transition! The song begins in the finest Gothenburg Death Metal style, yet still weaves in the typical Zornheym sound.The song is simply a cracker. For me, it’s the heaviest track on the album, yet it still finds room for clean vocals and strings.
The album concludes with “Come Sweet Death“, which hammers through the speakers at full throttle and with brutal force, whilst allowing for the occasional brief neo-classical interludes. Towards the end, Zornheym bid us farewell with choirs and the tolling of bells… but what’s that? Sinister sounds suggest that’s not the end of it. Of course, there were still the two previous albums…
Conclusion: Both musically and narratively, this is a masterpiece. Coming up with a gripping story and weaving it into lyrics is one thing. But Zornheym have once again managed to translate those written words into music. Every bar, every single note, tells the story of the Zornheim mental asylum, gripping the listener and locking them away in one of the many cells. Simply magnificent.
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