Sworn – Null Crowned the Infinite
Sworn – Null Crowned the Infinite
Self-Released
Release date: 04/09/2026
Review by Oli Gonzalez
8/10
Bergen, Norway. A breeding ground for Black Metal with the sacred land playing host to the annual Beyond The Gates festival. Almost 2 decades into their career, Sworn may well have lofty expectations on their shoulders to live up to this reputation, on the eve of their 5th studio album “Null Crowned The Infinite”.
In the words of the band, the album explores “the cyclical nature of the cosmos from its initial spark in the void to its inevitable dissolution”. DAMN that’s deep! How do you even…anyway, the artwork seems to capture this grandiose and vast subject matter, given the epic mountainscape scene it portrays. With that out of the way, what about the music?
Well, they pulled in the big guns to ensure the album was mixed and mastered to the highest standard. “Null Crowned the Infinite” was placed in the very capable hands of Jens Bogren, having been trusted with giants like Arch Enemy, Opeth, and Behemoth!
The album kicks off with ‘The Starless Origin’, Sworn’s longest composition to date. At just over 12 minutes in length, this initially hit me with a pang of anxiety! Though 12 minutes flew by faster than it should have done. Especially with the cinematic opening, the deep orchestral symphony adding a sense of dissonance and tension. We’re introduced to the slow wielding pace of the guitar, before the bludgeoning of the bass and drums. The pace is gradual, deliberate, layers slowly being introduced. Like the ever-consistent and fierce vocals of Max, retaining clarity within his primitive and blood-soaked shrieks. The structure feels solid and rigid, until the 5 minute mark. The lead guitar is given license to burst out of formation and dazzle with blistering leads. All before the rest of the band are given license to raise all unmitigated hell, with the once calm and steady pace of the drums becoming an all out blast beat-led frenzy! This is a journey, a voyage with many peaks and troughs, but a fantastic journey at that. The peak of the album for sure.
When exploring the overarching sound to ‘Null Crowned The Infinite’, there seems to be one central theme. An array of opulent guitar melodies, often harmonising, composed in a hypnotic trance-like pattern that seems to run in a satisfying infinite loop! Most prominent on ‘A Cosmic Storm’ and the album’s title track, this will appease fans of Mgla, Vinterland, and Dissection. Goran and Christoffer seem to operate as riff factories, operating a never-ending conveyor belt of aesthetic hooks! Add to that the array of synths (most salient in ‘Circle Of The Eternal’) and this becomes something no Melodic Black Metal fan can resist!
It’s not what you normally expect from a Black Metal band, where dissonant chord progressions and hellish infernal atmosphere are the norm. No, there’s something accessible about Sworn’s sound but still retaining bite and punch.
As such, it can be said that “Null Crowned The Infinite” is a triumph in modern Melodic Black Metal. Don’t be surprised if we see Sworn on either a future Fortress or Tynebound festival lineup! And though they’re unsigned now, don’t be surprised if their next release is handled by a major label! Should Sworn want to go in that direction as they seem to be doing pretty well all by themselves…
TRACKLISTING:
01. The Starless Origin
02. Null Crowned the Infinite
03. A Cosmic Storm
04. Fracture of Aeons
05. The Entropic Void
06. Circle of the Eternal
LINKS:
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