Review: “Ved Veis Ende” by Brotthogg

“This release marks a new chapter for us—hopefully a refined evolution of our sound. We aim to deliver a dynamic mix of aggression and atmosphere, with songs that are both intense and haunting. The album blends blistering speed with eerie heaviness, capturing the cold melancholy of black metal while retaining the precision and weight of death and thrash.” ~ Brotthogg

Recorded entirely in Norwegian and thematically steeped in Nordic folklore, myths and superstition, the fourth album “Ved Veis Ende” (or “At the end of the road“) from Extreme Metal outfit Brotthogg has long been one in the highly anticipated category. Known for blurring the lines between Black and Melodic Death Metal with technical precision while drawing inspiration from bands like Emperor, Dissection, and Old Man’s Child, the project is largely the work of mastermind, multi instrumentalist and lyricist Kristian Larsen Moen (Subliritum, Hinn Mesta, Toxic). Since 2017 and the project’s beginnings he’s joined by vocalist pairing Jonas Moen (Subliritum, Hinn Mesta) and Craig Furunes (Chton, Demontera) alongside Stephen Carlson (Flames of Fire, Christian Liljegren) who has been handling the guitar solos since 2019’s debut album “Echoes of the Past“.

Blast beats out of hell’s gate like “Ol’ Painless“, the M134 mini-gun used to create a jungle clearing in the original Predator movie, “Fram kryp fanden” (or “Come on, creep the hell out“) has the dark and oppressive atmospherics of classic Black Metal, bordering cinematic evil by the time the death growled vocals come into play. Although they have done an individual track previously, the record as a whole is a first from the band entirely in their native tongue and it has to be said that the shift benefits the overall atmosphere of perpetual darkness. The swirling guitars and thunderous percussion provide the backbone of the material, the virtuoso soloing from Carlson absolutely stunning on the near seven minute magnum opus of an opening cut. If the plan was to roar like a beast and send a chill down the spine of the discerning listener with sinister and menacing moments in a portrait of ancient evil, then the mission has not only been accomplished, but accomplished with style and grace.

After such an ambitious opening cut the vim and vigour of “I daudastund” (or “In the moment of death“) is incredible, the bark and bite of the vocals and the breakneck speed of the soundscape only serving to create an more intense listening experience. Even the melodic phrasing of the bridge in the mid section is a bitter and twisted vine that grows darker with each repeated listen. Reaching majestic new heights “I vanviddets vold” (or “In the violence of madness“) is another tornado of souls with restless and relentless percussive battery driving the roaring guitars to leave fretboards smouldering in its wake. Like the finest of foreign films, you don’t need to speak Norwegian to enjoy this, the portrait of self immolation at the end of this journey to oblivion as obvious as a hammer smashed thumb. Sweeping solos from Carlson are epic, this calloused hands making the strings sing in glorious fashion while never letting the pot boil over with too much flamboyance.

Building mournfully through melancholic leads “Pesta” (or “Plague“) is borders on orchestral in its arrangement with the lead guitars almost like violins over the top of the mid tempo atmosphere of trepidation. Harsh and demonic vocals push things forward and as death becomes real through bloodshot eyes this masterpiece enlightens like the calm before the storm. The flickering flame becomes a towering inferno as Brotthogg change gear for “Skarpretter” (or “Someone who carries out a death sentence”), the higher energy first half setting the tone before slowing in the second half to create an urge more sinister. Vocal shifts from low gravelly tones to some more powerful ones combined with the punch of the spine juddering rhythm guitars make this one stand out, the leads still present but taking more of a back seat.

Approaching seven and a half minutes “I djupet” (or “In the deep“) is the longest cut on the record, a magnum opus that begins with a sombre passage before descending into madness with blast beats and razor sharp riffs galore that drag you kicking and screaming into the abyss. Buried synths add that cinematic touch once more, the spellbinding nature of this beast not to be underestimated, especially when Carlson pulls yet another mesmerising solo from the magicians hat. There are some fist pumping chant moments in the final third too, so the savage beast can rest, soothed by the sounds. In Norwegian etymology, a “Mare” is a creature that sits atop a person’s chest at night plaguing them while they sleep, making the demon an obvious choice as the subject matter for the grand finale of a monstrous album. A full throttle piece that has all the elements that make this Extreme Metal album majestic, its the perfect summation of what you will find if you listen “Ved Veis Ende” closely while having more than a few glorious nuanced moments of its own [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Fram kryp fanden
2. I daudastund
3. I vanviddets vold
4. Pesta
5. Skarpretter
6. I djupet
7. Mare

“Ved Veis Ende” by Brotthogg is out 15th September 2025 and is available over at bandcamp