Besvärjelsen has always stood somewhat apart in the Swedish heavy rock scene. The band was formed in 2014 by guitarists and vocalists Andreas Bajer and Staffan Stensland Vinrot, with the aim of channelling the spirit of Dalarna’s forests into modern, heavy music. Their debut album Poppy opened its doors to a wider audience, whilst Atlas In 2022, they won the Manifest Award for Metal Album of the Year. That’s a solid platform from which to build on – and on Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem It sounds as if the band knows what they’re doing.

The album was released on 28 August 2026 via Magnetic Eye Records and consists of 11 tracks. The title means “into oblivion”, first in Swedish and then in Latin – a double plunge into the unknown. It’s a choice that says something about Besvärjelsen: they’re not afraid of depth, but nor are they afraid of thoughtfulness.

It is perhaps this very thoughtfulness that makes the greatest impression here. Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem It isn’t necessarily heavier than what Besvärjelsen have done before – but it feels richer. The sound has been tightened up without becoming constricted. Doom, stoner and heavy rock still form the foundation, but the band gives the songs room to breathe, take a different turn and surprise. There are riffs here, but not just for the sake of riffs. There’s groove here, but not just to keep the engine running. It feels like an album where every track has been allowed to find its own path through the forest.

“Forest rock” could easily have been a gimmick, but with Besvärjelsen it feels like a genuine identity. Where desert rock is often about heat, dust and vast horizons, this feels more forested, damp and patient. More Nordic melancholy than southern swagger. More moss, mist and dark treetops than sand, sun and motorways. Doom Charts also describes the album as Besvärjelsen’s Scandinavian answer to desert rock – still heavy, groovy and thunderous, but greener, airier and more mythical in its expression. The album went straight to number one on the Doom Charts for August 2026.

Lea Amling Alazam’s vocals are central to this. She brings together the band’s heaviness, melodies and more emotional side, with a smoky, soulful quality that gives even the most riff-driven sections a human core. Surrounding her, the guitar work is more melodic than brutal, with harmonies, a bluesy edge and a drive that ensure the album is constantly moving forward without ever losing its footing.

The line-up on the album features Lea Amling Alazam on vocals, Staffan Vinrot on guitar, vocals and various instruments, Andreas Bajer on guitar and vocals, Erik Bäckwall on drums and Marcus Lindqvist on bass. Fred Burman from Satan Takes a Holiday makes a guest appearance on «Accelerating Hearts» and «Didn’t Come to Party», whilst Pelle Andersson from Lowrider plays the organ on «Black Wave». The album was recorded by Andreas Bajer and Marcus Lindqvist at Glashuset in Ludvika, and mixed and mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén at Tri-Lamb Audio Studios in Solna.

The guest artists don’t feel like mere embellishments, but rather as natural extensions of the album’s world. «Accelerating Hearts» gets an extra boost from Burman’s vocal contribution, whilst «Black Wave» uses the organ to steer the sound even more clearly towards classic heavy rock and darker psychedelic realms. At the same time, it is Besvärjelsen themselves who remain firmly in control. There is never any doubt as to who owns the soundscape.

Halfway through the writing process, Lea discovered she was pregnant, which, according to the band’s comments on the album, influenced how she experienced the material. It’s tempting to hear some of this in the music – not as a simple explanation, but as an underlying awareness of change, loss, continuity and what remains when something old gives way to something new. When the album finally comes to a close with the simple closing track «Oblivion», it feels like the end of a journey, but not necessarily a full stop.

At Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem Besvärjelsen retains a punk-inspired core, but expands its sound with influences from blues, metal, prog, psychedelic rock and a few surprising detours. ‘The Obelisk’ exemplifies this broad palette, where the band allows different styles to come to the fore as long as it serves the song.

The most impressive thing is how naturally everything comes together. This could have come across as disjointed, but Besvärjelsen never give the impression that they’re trying to show off how much they can do. They seem to have something to say. That is perhaps the most important difference between a good album and a really good album.

Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem it’s not just a powerful Swedish heavy rock album. It’s the sound of a band that has found its own voice and dares to trust it. The heaviness is there, the riffs are there, but what lingers is a sense of the forest, movement and melodies that won’t let you go straight away.