My mood was pretty shitty, but instead of reaching for a usual funeral deathdoom fair when I am feeling blue, I decided to be different and go the cleansing through anger route using some hardcore, something I listen to rather infrequently. I thought my Earsplit friends who promote quite a bit from the genre would be proud of me. The choice seemed even more palatable since Danish NYT LIV promised to be melodic and hook-soaked.

Watching documentaries about life in Denmark, one wouldn’t think there is a reason for angst, yet social problems are universal, and youth are often the carriers of such expressions of various suppressed and hidden torments. NYT LIV apparently has something to share on the subject, does it completely in Danish, so non-native speaker has to rely solely on the music. Ensomhedens Kolde Kald, to my less experienced ears anyway, sticks to the tenets of the genre quite closely. Rhythmic, with fuzzy guitar fabric and shouting vocals by main lyricist Michael Benborg Aagesen, but then indeed, the melodies and hooks on the album are easy to follow, as they are laying right on the surface.

First single Blodet Skygger and closer Lys may be cleaner in sound, almost downtuned stoner rock, while other cuts are more full of slapping bass lines and overall sad debauchery. Downtuning is a required pre-requisite, from which introspective moments (Det Skul Du Nok Blive) benefit. There are songs here which are more youthful, more jumping up and down in a mosh pit, like Fortidens Taesk, Ingen Fast Form or a short Loegne. I tended to like more flowing melodic tracks, or something like Stille Ikke Doed where it is both gloomy and smashing at the same time.

The stories behind Ensomhedens Kolde Kald may be very psychological and deep, speaking of suicide and lost love, but for me the overall package served the purpose. I had 20 min car ride during which I wanted to blow the fuse and reset for the rest of the day, and mission was accomplished, even if I wasn’t able to comprehend the depth presented here, or judge music in more expert-like fashion.