As promised yesterday, here’s the other Shining – purely for balance, you understand.
They’re a completely different kettle of piscis from yesterday’s Norwegian band. Sweden’s Shining play a very dark form of black metal. Yes, dark black. It’s the black that you have to specify how dark it is. The band themselves state that they are not, however, a black metal band. Musically, that’s their sound but they have a different ethos to the likes of Marduk or Finntroll.
With lyrics based on themes (even promoting) suicide and self-harm they’re setting themselves up to be contentious. Where some bands waste time and money in court defending claims they are to blame for their fans trying to top themselves, or putting up with similar bullshit nonsense in the newspapers (Ozzy, Priest, Slayer, Metallica…), Shining have revelled in the fact that some fans have tried as much while listening to their music.
So… erm… a bit nuts, then.
Musically, they’re not something I would pop on to actively listen to. But it’s pretty decent background music for when you’re getting other stuff done. It’s generally pretty extreme stuff, but it does throw in a few rhythmic surprises now and then.
Certainly a band to court controversy, but ignoring that the music isn’t bad. If this is your type of thing they could be worth a listen.
More information on their facebook page.
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