Three years after his departure from NAGLFAR and the music scene. Jens Ryden breaks his silence in the form of his volatile new project, PROFUNDI. Clocking in at just under forty minutes, PROFUNDI’s debut, The Omega Rising, features eight scathing tracks (with one interlude) with Ryden turning up the intensity level to a much higher degree than his previous solo outing, DEAD SILENT SLUMBER, and to an extent, his former band, NAGLFAR. A true solo album in every sense of the word, Ryden ambitiously brings a D.I.Y. approach to the proceedings by handling all of the vocals, instruments, production, songwriting, layout and artwork all by himself. Although not as pristine as the production on NAGLFAR’s most recent efforts, The Omega Rising still cuts through with efficient clarity while still retaining a dark underground atmosphere. Light keyboard touches throughout the album provide ambiance in between the blasting onslaughts, at times recalling classic horror movie themes, but without sounding corny or overly melodramatic. Ryden also delivers some impressive guitar solos, particularly on the title track and “Engulfed in Hellfire” as well as “Unanimated” in which he also provides a short bass lead as well. Even though Ryden may not be the biggest shredder in the world, he nonetheless provides concise, melodic, memorable leads throughout the album. The Omega Rising can be viewed as either a blistering comeback or a punishing debut, but perhaps the album can best be described as a dark, furious piece of black metal art. (Profound Lore Records)