Hedmark evokes winter memories woven in sound with ‘Deer Cross The River’

Hedmark’s self-titled debut album is a striking entry into the world of melodic post-black metal, offering a haunting and immersive exploration of Norway’s frozen landscapes. At the forefront is ‘Deer Cross The River’, a track that encapsulates the album’s ability to blend raw intensity with contemplative atmosphere, creating music that is simultaneously vast and intimate.

Crafted by Gunnar Kjellsby, Hedmark is a one-man project that manages to weave together disparate elements with striking cohesion. The guitars shimmer with post-rock sensibilities, often building slowly into layered crescendos, while the subtle infusion of shoegaze textures adds a dreamlike quality that softens the harsher edges of black metal. These instrumental layers are anchored by meticulously placed vocal harmonies, delivered by Kjellsby alongside Melina Oz and Embla Maria O’Cadiz Gustad, which add an unexpected warmth and depth to the frigid, windswept soundscape.

‘Deer Cross The River’ unfolds like a cinematic memory, evoking images of snow-laden forests, rivers frozen in mid-flow, and the quiet solitude of winter nights. The track balances aggression and reflection, with bursts of intensity giving way to moments of spacious melodic interlude, demonstrating a careful command of pacing and dynamics. It’s an approach that feels personal and narrative-driven, almost as if we are being guided through ten winters’ worth of stories from Hedmark county itself.

What sets Hedmark apart is the honesty at its core. Every riff, ambient swell, and layered vocal feels grounded in lived experience, making the music both evocative and emotionally resonant.

For fans of atmospheric black metal, post-rock, and shoegaze-infused metal, Hedmark offers a chillingly beautiful experience, where nature and emotion collide in equal measure.