Jord – Emellan Träden

Written by on 04-09-2025 at 18:50.

In 2023, I got to know this Swedish Jord by listening to Tundra. I could appreciate their rather melodic, atmospheric black metal. It turned out to be well thought out and well worked out, but as the album progressed, there were fewer and fewer surprises to hear, and that is precisely what kept me from adding more points to the score in my review. Maybe this Emellan Träden, album number four for this trio, will bring new insights.

The three gentlemen must have known each other for quite some time, and not only from this Jord. They played or still play together in Omnicidal for example. Hammerheart Records already proved to be the brother in arms on duty, as well as sound engineer Micke Andersson of Studio Soundport, who you could consider as the fourth band member. Now, whether Mr. Andersson will also come on board for a tour through Europe seems unlikely to me in that respect. But miracles still exist, my late grandfather once said.

The atmospheric layered black metal of this Swedish trio has always had some gaze-elements in it, and it just so happens that the gentlemen start with this on the song Stay, which may be a nod to the defunct Numenorean. A band that is actually also in Jord‘s musical waters, I suddenly realize. It is that simple keyboard part that just keeps crawling into your ear canal for hours. But what happens then defies all imagination, and we are only on the first song. You may think that keyboard parts will continue to dominate. But nothing could be further from the truth. Narrative guitars, meandering parts, clean vocals, everything follows each other in a masterful way to work towards a climax. A point at which that dominant keyboard part seems to go into conclave with the guitars that are to be defeated.

King Of The Night soaks in the same characteristics as above and rolls and thunders into your gloomy abode. It thuds with the help of the bass and drags its own way by means of the drums. Composition-wise, it reminds me a bit of the more recent work of, for example, Imperium Dekadenz. What a masterful solo! Vid Muren strums himself into action with a lead part in the background that tries to distract attention. What a melody! Also listen to the razor-sharp solo in that same song! It just keeps going on, on this album. With the CD version, you also get a bonus track, Bortom tundran.

Compared to Tundra, Jord has taken a solid leap forward with Emellan Träden. The compositions sound even more lived-in, even more endearing and therefore more mature. It’s an album that is richly filled with heavy themes that are sung in English and Swedish. Yes guys, another recommendation from the Hammerheart stable and so I write, just like with the latest Vintersorg to be released later this month, that you should also purchase a physical copy of this.

Score:

90/100

Label:

Hammerheart Records, 2025

Tracklisting:

  1. Stay
  2. Hon Kallar
  3. King of the Night
  4. Dimma
  5. Vid Muren
  6. Prinsessan och hästen
  7. Den brandgula sale
  8. The Grave and Chain
  9. Bortom tundran

Line-up:

  • Jörgen Ström – Vacoals, guitar, bass guitar
  • Stefan Jansson – Drums
  • Sebastian Svedlund – Guitar

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