It's one thing to name your doom/death band
Thorr's Hammer and sing/croak all lyrics in Norwegian if you're actually from Norway, but when a couple of severely depressed stoners take up such a challenge in the state of Washington, you know something very unusual, and possibly timeless, is afoot. That is certainly the case behind the bizarre story of
Dommedagsnatt (Norwegian for Doomsday Night), a one-off collaboration between the aforementioned stoners (more specifically, future
Sunno))) collaborators Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley) and a Norwegian waif named Runhild Gammelsaeter. Alternately known by the mysterious nom de guerre of
Ozma, said young lady's alternately guttural grunting and musical sighs respectively stand in absolute sync and contrast with the band's lumbering, Earth-shaking rumble. Capably supported by the monstrous rhythm section of bassist James Hale and drummer Jamie Sykes, the resulting sonic avalanche makes instant doom classics out of "Norge," "Troll," and the title track. Originally available only on cassette, the three-track EP was eventually reissued by Southern Lord, with an additional live bonus cut entitled "Mellom Galgene," and, most precious of all, video footage of one of the group's only two known performances. Without a doubt, watching
Thorr's Hammer set the very stage a-trembling with their sub-human doom drones is itself worth the price of admission, grainy visual quality and all. In short: standing somewhere between curiosity and warped genius,
Dommedagsnatt is, if nothing else, a complete summation of this unique project and essential to doom historians and
Sunno))),
Khanate, and
Goatsnake aficionados. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia