Myr is an unsigned two-piece outfit based in Norway, but with Polish roots, and they have one release under their belt: Helvegen, which dropped nearly a year ago. Most of this is mid-paced and fairly melodic, with a couple of heavy nods to the atmospheric black metal scene inspired by Mg?a, alongside some second-wave fury sprinkled in on tracks like "Brennt," "Naraka," and "Tungsten." Helvegen features many good ideas, and they manage to evoke a lingering sense of unease that leaves a mark. "Saturnine Child" is a good example, where eerie choral arrangements set the tone and slowly build into a strong, striding track that stands among the highlights.

As expected from a debut, though, this is uneven, and leaning heavily on atmosphere is always a risk. They slip up hard with the misplaced female (child?) vocals on "In Perpetum" and the incredibly annoying saxophone on "Røkkr." Other songs, like the closer "Kaldr," are too predictable, with melodic sections that come off as dull.

That said, this is still an interesting debut, and a band with enough potential to keep an eye on going forward.