Review: “Self Titled” by Dysthen

“From the frostbitten concrete of Stockholm emerges Dysthen, a new voice in the void, a raw, shadow-draped vessel channelling the anguished duality of existence”

Recorded by Dag Sverker Vidgren (Wormwood, This Ending, Fimbul Winter) at Wings Studios, the self titled record from Stockholm Sweden based Black Metal quartet Dysthen is the first from a line up with a vast amount of experience. Bassist Oliver Cassepierre (Lestrange, Maniak, Diabolica), drummer Sebastian Olsson (Gravecrawler, Exit), guitarist Nikita “Osgiliath” Smirnov (Sanghrial, Vox Lvciferi, Walls of the Desolate) and vocalist Christian Jansson (Hexgrafv) have not only been part of many projects but have also played live with various others making their music an intriguing prospect.

Bursting you ear drums with a blood curdling roar Jansson gives you brain freeze the second “Lotus” begins. He’s accompanied by wave after wave of blast beats and raw, barbed riffs which create a wall of apocalyptic Black Metal that pushes into Extreme Metal territories with its sheer intensity giving it a shock and awe factor quite like no other. Only the bass line provides a sense of warmth and comfort in the madness, the low rumblings a rope on which to climb from the abyss. Cut from the same cloth “Aurora” brings more devilish screams that howl like the winds of plague over a barren landscape, the crushing percussion a restless and relentless punishment that barely stops for even a second. There is however a bleak moment during which they slow as the quartet embrace a little Folk Metal with a funky little bass line in the bridge underneath the white noise. If you close your eyes and grip the pillow tightly, its there for you to hear, making the infamous Northern Lights sound like demonic ghosts from the past.

There is a mournful lament underneath the bursts of intense percussive battery as “Wheat” unfolds, the warmth of the bass line once again creating a nice contrast when cut against the ice cold riffs. On this one the lyrics are hard to distinguish but the screams are of pure agony and anguish creating a feeling of despair as the horrors of the soundscape become oppressive and claustrophobic at the same time. After that mid-tempo blood and thunder comes the merciless “Ves“, a tornado of souls which tears a hole in the fabric of the space time continuum as it rises from eternal winter. There are points where it feels like the band pushed their performance levels to their limits, the melancholia of the mid section having arguably the most caustic vocals of the collection, the hummable melody an absolute pleasure. Be warned. Something wicked this way comes.

Track Listing

1. Lotus
2. Aurora
3. Wheat
4. Ves

“Self Titled” by Dysthen is out 29th May 2026 and is available over at bandcamp