Shining have been through some high highs and some low lows, both in subject matter and quality. When they hit, their depressive dirges are second to none and the music lives and dies by how it is phrased. That is the secret behind the success of works like V: Halmstad (Niklas angående Niklas) and VII: Född Förlorare. Few bands have one masterpiece under their belt, much less two, and it inevitably invites unfair comparisons. But this has been the status of Shining in the years since Född Förlorare, different kinds of experiments with the phrasing of the core sound of the band. Some albums have tried more abstract versions of the formula (IX: Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends and VI: Klagopsalmer) and some tried to up the aggression (X: Varg utan flock). But mostly, the phrasing of the better albums was not there, producing decent albums that always brought to mind that the classics exist. Come 2023, Shining resurfaces again and this time, there are no real experiments but rather, the self-titled SHINING tries to simply produce some new Shining songs that lean on the acoustic side of the band. Depressive explorations of death is nothing new for Shining, but there lies a somber feeling over SHINING that is hard to miss: the growing isolation of age and eventual death of everything you know.
Highlight song “Snart är dom alla borta” (“Soon they will all be gone”) features a gradual acoustic build, from surprisingly resigned vocals, to a short angry Metal outburst that give way into Doom Metal riffs and a resolutely somber piano ending. “Fidelis Ad Mortem” has a simple vocal chant leading through more calmer material and “Åttahundratjugo” is another cover of a classical piece, this time performing an Erik Satie composition. The other songs do not skimp on the usual dynamics of despairing Extreme Metal and softly progressive transitions. If you have heard a Shining album before, you know what you are getting. At 50 minutes, some of the material taking its time leads to this album not reaching the same heights of the better albums, but the phrasing and flow of SHINING is overall good. The slightly Blues-like opening on “Allt För Döden” (“All For Death”) and dirgey crawl of the Metal give way to some very effective shrieked vocals and the more Metal leaning songs find ways to give this album some bite. As I understand Swedish, I find this album to be better than the last few albums when it comes to lyrics as well. There are some cheesy moments, like using a Christmas game to twist the humorous lyrics into something gruesome in “Avsändare Okänd” and the Jason Voorhees like sounds in “Allt För Döden”, but overall the content is good. Shining are at their best when they focus on depression, fear of death and feelings of not belonging. Here, they are back in good form.
