Review Runemagick "Circle of the dying Sun (Dawn of ashen Realms)"

Runemagick, who have been around since 1990, are still an underground phenomenon and have never really made the leap into the ranks of bigger bands. However, they are all the more popular and respected among a devoted community of fans of doom-laden death metal sounds. Of course, the band's sound has undergone certain changes and differentiations over the decades. Their debut album “The Supreme Force of Eternity,” released on Century Media, was much more closely aligned with regular death metal sounds, which specifically means that the tempo presented there was considerably faster. However, many of the subsequent albums, although significantly slower in tempo, were often more death metal-oriented or maintained a balance between death metal and doom metal elements. However, the last four albums after the band's new beginning in 2017, including the 2018 album “Evoked from Abysmal Sleep,” lean even more heavily toward doom metal, particularly through the increased incorporation of atmospheric, tranquil elements. 

Review Runemagick "Last skull of humanity"

As the Swedish doom / death metal act Runemagick led by the energetic Nicklas Rudolfsson is currently releasing its 14th studio album, entitled “Cycle of the Dying Sun (Dawn of Ashen Realms)”, the band actually came back to my mind after I had already interviewed Nicklas in 2018. How time flies....read the interview on the occasion of the release of "Evoked from abysmal Sleep" here.

At this point, however, I would like to mention the brilliant gem of an EP called “Last Skull of Humanity” from 2023, which unfortunately has only now received my full and well-deserved attention. 

INTERVIEW RUNEMAGICK

Fans had to wait eleven years for the new Album (release date July 20, 2018) of Swedens death /doom underground cult act RUNEMAGICK. But let me say first, the new album was worth the wait. Guitarrist and vocalist Nicklas Rudolfsson answered my questions.

First of all I have to say that the new album is really great, but I didn’t expect anything else.What can you tell us about the process of creating  this album and writing the songs ? When did you start with writing new songs and why did it take 11 years for the new album ? How would you describe the new album in your own words , maybe in relation to the prior Runemagick releases as well ?

Always nice to hear that there are people who like our music. Especially now that it was many years ago we released something new. Most of the material, both riff arrangements and lyrics, are written in 2017 and early 2018. Possibly there is some older riff here and there too.

If I describe the material from my point of view, I can probably say that it is quite straightforward arrangements and songs. As for tempo, it is often heavy mid-tempo riffing and drumming the “Runemagick style” mixed with some heavier doom parts and some more up-tempo stuff.

I do not know for sure, but I imagine that if you like any of our previous albums, you should recognize the new material as well. It may not be so obscure material as on "Envenom" rather more about "Enter The Realm Of Death" and "Darkness Death Doom" I suppose.

11 years… time flies. Yes we decided to start up again in 2017. Before that we can say we had a long break. However, no quiet break, it has been full of other bands, projects and other activities in life. Then it has probably also been that inspiration from our side during that period has been partly gone so to speak. Then you can say that there was some lack of inspiration too.