Metal is a universal language or at any rate, one that transcends nationalities and geographical boundaries.  Hamferð hails from the Faroe Islands, a place not many in the US at least have likely heard of, let alone could locate on a map.  For those geographically-limited, the Faroe Islands are an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark and located halfway between Iceland and Norway.  The official language is Faroese, which presents certain challenges for reviewing albums and initially even figuring out how to spell the band’s name (which was copy/pasted into the review).  Helpful hint for those wanting more info on the band you can search ‘Hamferd”.  As for the sounds, I like the description the band uses on their Facebook bio about why the band was formed,

“to bring slow, crushing and atmospheric music to the Faroe Islands, the home to a bleak and depressive atmosphere that can only be properly communicated through the funeral march of doom metal”

Hamferð is a Faroese term for apparitions of sailors that appear before their loved ones, and conveys the overall sense of melancholy and harshness of life that has been historically part of the island people.  The band formed in 2008 for a battle of the bands contest and recorded their first two songs for a demo in 2009, one of which was the #1 song in the Faroe Islands for three weeks in 2010.  Since then, the band has played numerous festivals and even turned down a recording contract with Nuclear Blast records.  Evst is the first full length album for Hamferð. Continue reading »