Swartadauþuz - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards

Trolldom is an atmospheric black metal project from Nyköping, Sweden, created and spearheaded by the highly prolific musician Swartadauþuz. Deeply rooted in the spirit of the Scandinavian second wave, Trolldom draws heavily upon the cold, mystical and otherworldly atmosphere of 1990s black metal, combining raw guitar work with sweeping keyboards, lengthy compositions and a distinctly archaic sense of darkness.

The exact origins of Trolldom remain somewhat obscure. Although the project did not make its recorded debut until 2016, some of its material dates back considerably further. Swartadauþuz had already written music that would eventually become part of Trolldom between 2004 and 2008, making the project’s musical roots much older than its first official release would suggest.

Trolldom first emerged publicly in 2016 with the demo Av gudablod röd.... Consisting of two lengthy compositions, the recording introduced a style firmly indebted to vintage second-wave black metal, built around hypnotic riffing, atmospheric keyboards and an intentionally old-fashioned production aesthetic. Swartadauþuz handled guitars, bass and keyboards, while Inīquus provided vocals and J.W. performed the drums. The demo was released through Ancient Records and established Trolldom as another distinctive creation within the extensive musical world surrounding Swartadauþuz.

Following the demo, Trolldom remained largely silent for several years. Behind the scenes, however, a considerable amount of material existed. In 2018 two separate bodies of music were recorded, eventually resulting in the unusual simultaneous release of two full-length albums through Iron Bonehead Productions on May 27, 2022: Av gudars ätt... and I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas dunkel).

Despite being released together, the two albums originated during very different periods. The material for I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas dunkel) had been composed between 2004 and 2008. Musically, the album explores the more cosmic, majestic and symphonic side of Trolldom. Fast and often ferocious black metal passages are surrounded by prominent keyboards and an expansive atmosphere strongly reminiscent of the mid-'90s era when symphonic black metal was at its most mysterious and uncompromising. Swartadauþuz performed guitars and bass, with Kévin Paradis contributing drums and Steven Blackburn providing keyboards.

Av gudars ätt..., meanwhile, consists of material written between 2014 and 2017. While sharing the same fundamental black metal identity, the album presents a somewhat more dynamic and desolate side of Trolldom. Long, slowly unfolding compositions move between harsh black metal, atmospheric passages and almost ambient stretches, creating a vast and ritualistic soundscape. Two songs originally heard on Av gudablod röd... were re-recorded for the album, further connecting the full-length with Trolldom's earlier incarnation. Kévin Paradis again performed drums, while Förbannelse contributed additional guitar to one track.

Both albums were recorded in 2018 and completed several years later, with mixing and mastering carried out in 2021. Their simultaneous appearance in 2022 effectively transformed Trolldom from an obscure project with a single demo into a fully realised entity with two substantial albums representing different periods of Swartadauþuz's songwriting.

Trolldom also forms part of the remarkably extensive network of projects associated with Swartadauþuz, whose work includes Bekëth Nexëhmü, Azelisassath, Digerdöden, Gnipahålan, Greve, Muvitium, Mystik, Daudadagr and numerous other underground black metal entities. Although many of these projects share an unmistakable devotion to the aesthetics and atmosphere of traditional black metal, Trolldom maintains its own identity through its particularly expansive compositions, spectral keyboards and emphasis on mystical, nocturnal and cosmic atmospheres.

Rather than attempting to modernise the genre, Trolldom deliberately reaches back toward an earlier vision of Scandinavian black metal – a time when raw aggression, primitive mysticism and grandiose keyboard arrangements could coexist without contradiction. The result is atmospheric black metal that feels consciously removed from contemporary trends, drawing its strength from the cold majesty and obscure spirit of the genre's formative years.

With Av gudablod röd... laying the foundation and the twin full-lengths Av gudars ätt... and I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas dunkel) dramatically expanding upon it, Trolldom stands as one of the more atmospheric and traditional expressions within Swartadauþuz's vast body of work – a project steeped in darkness, ancient mysticism and the enduring spirit of the Swedish black metal underground.

Av gudablod röd... (Demo, 2016)
Av gudars ätt... (Album, 2022)
I nattens sken (Genom hemligheternas dunkel) (Album, 2022)
Tronen (Album, 2026)

Atmospheric Black Metal
Sweden