Anna von Hausswolff's "Dead Magic" Is Oppressive and Huge

If you've heard Anna von Hausswolff's music before, you know the darkness that comes with it. It's as if pop met Nathaniel Hawthorne, and then an old school horror vibe was thrown into the equation. That's not changed now, as Anna von Hausswolff's Dead Magic is oppressive and huge, damning in nature and industrial in execution.

Dead Magic is a slow burner, but it burns in a pit of Hell, as 'The Truth, The Glow, and The Fall' will have you feeling. It's a twelve-minute progressive track, constantly trudging forward as the slow torture of the sound settles in. It's never quite boring, but you can definitely count on a feeling of unease. Another long, slow track is the sixteen-minute 'Ugly and Vengeful,' which really lives up to its name. It comes with several different parts, some more energetic and perhaps pained that others.

While Dead Magic is oppressive, it does well to keep you involved. Hausswolff does a lot with her witchy aesthetic, especially in 'The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra.' The Scandinavian pine forest horror really shines through here, the angry, witchy vocals pairing perfectly with the slow evil and industrial build of the song. The pounding instrumental fits so well with the ghastly vocals. Even the instrumental track, 'The Marble Eye,' captures the right atmosphere, the epic dark sound even sounding a bit spacey.

Anna von Hausswolff's Dead Magic is oppressive and huge, continuing her witchy, horrifying aesthetic in the best way possible. While unsettling, there is a lot of method behind the madness going into the album, and it's unquestionable that the music holds some real magic in it.

Favorite Track: The Mysterious Vanishing Of Electra

Least Favorite Track: Kallans Ateruppstandelse

Rating: 77 / 100

Stream or buy Dead Magic on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist: