The Dark Elegance of Hjort’s Evolve IV-VIII
Photo: Johannes Lenk
The forest doesn’t speak, but it remembers. Its silence is full of stories. An ode to the darker aspects of nature.
In the frostbitten stillness of a winter forest, there’s a moment where time dissolves—a heavy breath in the icy air, a shadow stretching long under the pale sun. Hjort, the solo project of Atmosphere (V/Haze Miasma’s guitarist), encapsulates this transient stillness in its latest opus, Evolve IV-VIII. More than an album, it feels like a hymn to desolation, a sonic meditation born in the crucible of solitude and creation.
Recorded in the hallowed, intimate confines of The Attic Assembly Chamber in Mannheim, Germany, this instrumental melodic blackened doom metal masterpiece marks the evolution of Hjort’s haunting narrative. Following 2022’s Trilogy I-III, Evolve IV-VIII doesn’t just continue the journey; it expands its horizon, plunging deeper into the melancholic abyss, where every note feels like the faint echo of forgotten gods.
Each track invites listeners into its unique realm. "VI" lures with its slow, deliberate pace that doesn’t so much build as unfurl, like shadows creeping across the forest floor. "V" introduces a fragile beauty, with melodies that flutter like dying leaves, only to be swept away by the heavier currents of echoing riffs. On "VIII," dreamlike sequences give way to hypnotic waves of sound. It’s a balance of light and dark that feels as if the universe itself is breathing.
These tracks don’t demand your attention—they wait for you to surrender. Hjort’s strength lies in its refusal to conform. While the genre tag “Instrumental Melodic Blackened Doom Metal” offers some navigational clarity, Atmosphere’s arrangements transcend categorization. From the symphonic undertones to the experimental whispers of post-black metal, this is music that resists the mundane confines of definition. It calls to the parts of us we often neglect—the seeker, the mourner, the wanderer. It’s very introspective.
The aesthetics of Hjort are as integral as the sound. The alchemical gold vinyl, limited to just 100 copies, mirrors the project’s ethos: rare, intimate, and otherworldly. The artwork, crafted by Atmosphere himself, feels like a visual representation of the music’s soul—layered, introspective, and beautifully grim.
It’s this kind of musical introspection mixed with beautifully dark aesthetics that makes Evolve IV-VIII resonate. The album isn’t just an auditory experience; it’s a journey into a wintry landscape of the mind, where the beauty lies in the interplay of shadow and light. Fans of cinematic and immersive metal will find themselves at home here, in the hypnotic rhythm of Hjort’s world.
As the last note fades and the frost recedes, you’re left with more than just music—you’re left with a question: What did you leave behind in the snow?
Hjort’s Evolve IV-VIII is set to release on January 24th, 2025, via Inertial Music. For those who seek the solace of solitude and the poetry of darkness, this is your soundtrack.
An exclusive conversation with Atmosphere of Hjort:
"Evolve IV-VIII" is a continuation of the journey started with "I-III." How does this new album represent a progression in your artistic vision, and what story or atmosphere are you hoping to convey this time?
I wrote "Evolve IV-VIII" in a time full of changes and challenges in my private life. For me personally it´s the sound of deliverance and confidence. While "Trilogy I-III" was held deliberately dark and dreary, this time I opened up for stronger melodies, more elaborate soundscapes and clearer structures. And those five tracks were written in an album concept from the first note to the last, which wasn´t the case during the "Trilogy" period. I hope the listener also can feel that "Evolve IV-VIII" is a complete piece of art, including the artwork, which, like the music itself, also emerged in last winter, being outside in nature, my "safe space".
How does the natural world inspire your songwriting and the visual presentation of your albums? (The video for VIII is beautiful)
As I said, nature is the main inspiration in my musical work. And this applies to Hjort as well as to my current main band V/Haze Miasma. The atmosphere you can sense in both projects is my sound memory of walking through a foggy forest or standing on top of a mountain, the world below you and the wind in your neck. Just to give you an example of how it works for me. The cover artwork for "Evolve IV-VIII" is based on pictures I brought home from being outside in bavarian winter of early 2024. In my opinion the colours and the vastness of nature fit the atmosphere of my music perfectly. Even with V/Haze Miasma we used our own nature photographies for our visual concept. But as everything has its limit, and as I´m really not a filmmaker, I´m very glad for the help of a friend of mine who provides us with mind blowing drone shots from his Iceland trips - which I once again "only" had to cut and edit for the "VIII" video. It´s like the progressor of the V/Haze Miasma clips "Nebula" and "Fulfillment" - if you wanna dig deeper into those Iceland vibes. By the way, I´ve been to many beautiful places on earth, and Scandinavia is my absolute favourite - but I never travelled Iceland myself... Still on my bucket list.
As a solo artist, you have complete creative control over your recordings. Are there moments during the process when you wish you had another perspective, or do you prefer solitude and independence?
I like it both ways. I played in different bands during the years, and I really appreciate the dynamics and inspiration of a full band. Concerning songwriting with band members, in my experience it´s a positive way of compromising, which makes songs stronger in the end - if it works well. But I also like the soloproject possibility to write songs right out of the heart and to put everything in the way I feel it. There are always people around me who give me feedback, and I won´t exclude to open up for further collaborations in future, even in Hjort. So I wouldn´t say I prefer solitude, but I definitely appreciate independence very much.
You've got a lot of intricate arrangements going on, and you've achieved a great balance between what a lot of people would normally have trouble with. What tools or techniques do you rely on most in the studio to achieve your sound? Do you have any rituals or habits that help you get into the right headspace for recording?
First of all, thank you! As the guitar is my main instrument, I still rely on that to the biggest part. There are lots of guitars in the hjort recordings. Even many of the atmospheric soundscapes you can perceive in the background are created on a guitar by using different delays, reverbs etc.. But I learn new things with every production and I think I achieved a better conceptual view and understanding for different instruments and recording processes over the years, whereas earlier my songwriting was very dominated by guitar riffs and my recording skills rather limited.
To get in the right recording mood I need first of all - time. So not seldomly I barricade in my recording room the whole weekend, including the night, to really "get in touch" with the music. And again, it helps me to start the day with a run outside, yoga or any other sportive activity. Then I get my get my (first) cup of coffee and open up for the creative process.
Hjort’s Bandcamp Page - Stay tuned inand don’t miss the release this Friday!
Thank you to The Metallist PR
