By Ola Mazzuca
According to Encyclopedia Metallum, this band’s moniker of what seems to be a mashup of Scandinavian dialect and some type of mystic language is enunciated “Toll-Tar”. So for those of you reading this review that have spent about five minutes trying to figure out the pronunciation for Tjolgtjar, you are not alone.
Do not expect anything hi-fi from this Illinois based one man band of a rare breed of music that barely reaches the tolerable low-fi standard due to production that is more raw than that of early records from Satyricon and Darkthrone.
It seems that worldly musical elements spastically jump around on each track throughout the record on the opening “Fjor Tjell KjingDJam Olf Hjoary” with its faint drum kit save for the loud snare and screeching black metal vocals that conclude in what sounds like an attempt at black thrash. What’s even weirder is that “Lord Of The Forest” begins with a pleasant acoustic moments before plunging into a drone stoner rock/doom metal feel.
Wow, would you check out those vintage guitar effects on “Hiking Through The Eastern Trails”! Not the band’s first try at creating an atmospheric black metal track as a second attempt follows featuring monk chants on “Nu Raagum Skuul, Fjelnejs”.
Wait, what is this? Electronic additives and soaring, clean rock vocals on “The Spirit Of The Wild” prove that Tjolgtjar are confused to the max. It is even more surprising that vocalist Reverend J.R. Preston mimics the technique of none other than Dane King Diamond on “ No Pride In The Prairie”. I think King D would agree to the title.
And for all of you that didn’t get your fill of poorly eccentric experimental sounds, Tjolgtjar tops it all off with a cover of Ted Nugent’s “Free Flight”.
I am incredibly open minded when it comes to music, but Tjolgtjar is definitely one of the strangest bands I have ever listened to. Tjolgtjar is simply bong hitting/ black /thrash/ country/ doom/ hunting music for those who are looking to peer into the depths of the TRUE unknown.
(Baphomet/Suffering Jesus)
3/10
