Origin : Norway
Genre : Symphonic / Melodic Black Metal
Release : 2005
Album Info / Review
**Album Review – *Vermin* by Old Man’s Child**
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### Soundscape
*Vermin* opens with a bleak, cold atmosphere that never lets up. From the first blast-beat on “Death Stalks” to the last chord in the slow “Desolation’s Call,” the album is a relentless tundra—a montage of icy riffs, soaring melodies, and guttural growls that echo across the void. The mix is decidedly “cleanish” by black‑metal standards: every guitar layer, snare crack, and vocal shudder plugs cleanly into the mix.
The drums are tight and punchy. Lars “Rogue” on the kit keeps the tempo razor‑sharp, delivering perfectly framed double‑bass patterns that feel like a hammer press on frozen bones. His cymbals ride the higher frequencies with a subtle over‑drive that screams winter. The guitar tone feels chiseled rather than muddy: a mid‑range boost gives the crunch enough bite to pierce through the sodium of the high register, while the bass frequencies sit firmly in the lower octane, driving the choruses home.
Vocal textures blend a harsh, epically shouted choir with occasional clean‑sounding interludes. The lead growl doesn’t drown the guitar melodies but instead climbs over them. The contrast gives the tracks a swing that sits between the ferocity of black metal and the epic storytelling of power metal.
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### Atmosphere
‘Vermin’ isn’t just a frenzy of sound; it is a vivid, living concept of a dying world. The songwriting uses atmospheric bridges and ambient samples—low, reverb‑heavy drones that surface behind the chorus. These moments allow the listener to grope for sympathy toward an “old man” persona—markedly reminiscent of the early ‘throne‑style’ atmosphere in Norway’s early black‑metal circles. The atmospheric layers keep track aftermetal fans on the edge, while hardcore black‑metal fans get to pry their own’magmatic grooves into the mix.
The album’s lyrical focus is grim: corrupt nature, cannibalistic lore, cyclic decay. The imagery is descriptive, not melodramatic. Each track reads like a chapter of a forbidden book, which helps the music feel mythological rather than just noisy.
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### Riffs & Composition
At the heart of *Vermin* lies the riffwork—fast, intricate, and surprisingly melodic. The opening track starts with a turbo‑driven tremolo pick that rings out like a shiv in a spel. The guitars’ twin leads slash in unison, then diverge into a jagged chorus that glues the melody together with a simple yet hauntingly memorable hook. Halfway through, the guitars exchange synchronized riffs, each carrying a cascade of notes that sound like shattered glass against a steely backdrop.
The second half of the album is heavily grounded in slow‑burning progressions that belie their speed. Tracks like “Black Iron Serpent” display a guttural growl ticking through heavy syncopated chords, while runs of gliding riffs showcase a more contemplative compositional style. The final track, “Sovereign of Decay,” pumps a thick, galloping riff that blends a classic Nordic power metal feel with shades of raw aggression.
Overall, the riffing is technically correct but never over‑complicated. It is more about headbanging and feeling the music than showcasing an endless solo parade. Subtle use of melodic intervals and power‑chords keeps the songs grounded in a memorable motif that remains in the mind after the finale.
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### Production Quality
The production team—always a deciding factor in a black‑metal record—delivers a clear, modern sound that is approachable for everyday listeners and unapologetically aggressive for the underground. The track “Silicon Night” showcases the precise panning that frames each guitar separately. The drum pad reveals a crisp kick sound that cuts through even the densest mix, while the bass sits in the right frequency range to provide both punch and groove.
The album’s mastering maintains enough dynamic range. Rather than overstretched peaks, the tracks simply breathe. The final result is a mix that holds live‑recorded nostalgia while embracing a polished, airtight quality that lets every sonic detail—especially those intricate tremolo lines—carve through the fabric of a dense ocean of metal.
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### Overall Impression
*Vermin* is an album that marries the ferocious mindset of early black metal with the melodic elegance of power metal. It is unbound by the feelings of despair often associated with black‑metal tributes; instead it thrives on an almost mythic resilience and solemn grandeur. The production offers a modern, polished sheen important for sound clarity, allowing fans of both genres to give the album a balanced listening experience.
Old Man’s Child has crafted a standard-bearer proofed by career longevity and creative overlap. *Vermin* functions as a brilliant showcase of how black‑metal might be synthesized with melodic undertones—propelling the band into an assured, revitalized sphere of both metal science and ritualistic music. If you’re looking for an album that never repeats its classic chorus but still keeps your head banging, this is one for you.
