SYN introduced themselves very recently, around 2023, from the depths of Norway. And it’s always scary to think and wonder, how band after band keeps on sprouting out from this Scandinavian territory and aflame rusty minds with their musicianship and ideas! However, it would not be right to say SYN comes out without warning. SYN’s debut album “Villfarelse” has already been raising anticipation based on the intriguing number ‘Groregn’ featured on a Terratur compilation earlier in 2023. And carrying the early signs across eight tracks of this debut “Villfarelse” (which closely means ‘Delusion’), immerses the listener in an enchanting journey through dark forests and storms to uncharted zones. Although playing atmospheric Black Metal, like many of their countrymen, what strikes at the beginning is the production which is raw, yet crisp and transports you back to Black Metal’s early waves while still feeling fresh. Standouts like the mind grabber ‘Da Kaos Møtte Sorg’ (‘When Chaos Met Sorrow’), the impressive ‘Groregn’ (‘Heavy Rain’) and the spine chilling ‘Ormekulde’ (‘Worm Cold’) introduce hypnotic melodic leads amid the blast beats and tremolo picking, proving that SYN can balance brutality with unexpected beauty. The lyrical themes are exploring darkness and existential dread, brought to life by the varied harsh vocals. Clean chanting and more narrative spoken parts on tracks like ‘En Siste Kveld’ (‘One Last Evening’) provoke the mind structurally and contextually. The closing ‘Drømmen Ved Bålet’ (‘The Dream By The Fire’) ties everything together at the end like a knot. No doubt, repeated listens will unlock new depths in these compositions and their absorbing atmosphere, which invites reflectiveness, while still hitting with Black Metal’s raw intensity. This is established further through the very absorbing cover art by legendary 19th century Norwegian painter Theodor Severin Kittelsen, who is renowned for his illustrations of tales and legends. Therefore, both sonically and aesthetically, SYN aimed to craft something fresh, and they’ve succeeded really in this debut offering. Given their pedigree drawing from respected scene veterans and clear artistic vision, I wouldn’t be surprised if SYN would rise to prominence within Norway’s Black Metal underground and also receive interest abroad. To find out more about the band and label, please visit www.facebook.com/terraturpossessions.