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Melodic black metal by way of Sweden is what you'll find on the debut album Dödsriket by Begrafven. This two-man effort takes queues from early "black" metal bands like Mercyful Fate and combines them with some of the harsher elements of the second wave. You have raspy vocals and blasting drums alternating with what sounds like real drums and guitar riffs that are strummed vs. tremolo picked. The songwriting is intriguing in its combination of these elements but yields few standout moments. To my ears it is too harsh for traditional metal fans and lacks enough of the sense of evil or despair black metal fans tend to go in for so I'm not sure who this album is aimed at. It works OK as background music but not much more. I give Begrafven credit for not conforming and hope they come up with something amazing down the line.