We’ve had some interesting promotional items through the post over the years from bands/labels, from matches and condoms to t-shirts and even red feathers…but it’s certainly not every day that one receives a pouch filled with authentic volcanic ash. Yes, it was certainly a talking point here at AN/MT-HQ and of course it quickly reiterates the fact that Solstafir are one of the few bands to come out of Iceland and if anyone has the right to use the Eyjafjallajökull chaos to their advantage, it is this band. I became instantly enamoured with this lot’s 2009 album Kold, which remains one of those rare albums I can put on the stereo and feel like I’m hearing it both for the first time and the 100th. Admittedly this album took me a little more work to get into, as I often find with double-albums or ones that are especially long (something that recently occurred to me when I dug out a forgotten favourite NIN’s The Fragile which is still going round in my head three weeks later). Usually the shorter something is the easier it is to get your head around hence why chart singles are all in the 3-4 minute region, but then the most instant of things can quickly grow tiresome as we all know.
Solstafir began their journey all the way back in 1994 and while they have clearly come a long way from their straight-up black metal beginnings, it’s still lurking there in the shadows. Disc #1 ‘Andvari’ carries on in a similar vein to ‘Kold’ and while you are going to be sorely disappointed if you go into it expecting black metal, it does encompass the spirit and atmosphere of the genre pretty well, while disc #2 ‘Gola’ has a rockier vibe that kind of takes them yet even further away from their roots. It could be regarded as a tad self-indulgent, but I prefer to see it as a band that are pushing the boundaries and doing what they want with scant regard for labels and stereotypes while giving a big Fuck You to the closed-minded “NOT METULZ” haters out there.
So we begin with ‘Lios I Stormi’ and the vocals of Aoalbjorn Tryggvason are yelled out over a background of molten guitars and a glutinous bassline that wraps itself around in the mix giving this track plenty of depth. The melodies gush forth with a dark, vesuvian flow and is complimented beautifully by the fiery, passionate vocals that exude genuine soul. The soft percussive intro to ‘Fjara’ gradually reveals a psychedelic ambience and through the gentle croons and swirling bass we build to a spectacularly fluffy and dreamy chorus that seeks to whisk one off their feet up high above the ash clouds. At it’s height, this is the musical equivalent to a bubble bath; sensuous, uplifting and pure and is a delightful antidote to all the daily doom and gloom. There is far more power and oomph behind the next track ‘Pin Ord’ with its heavy riffs underpinned by swirling psychedelic moods. It has a particularly catchy melody to it and I can’t help but notice a similarity to the stunning ‘Love Is The Devil’ from the Kold album.
Things go a bit western n ‘Aera’ as there’s something of an Ennio Morricone strum to this one at times. This one slithers off like a rattlesnake through the dusty desert dunes sounding dark, dreamy and reflective. The second album, ‘Gola’, is kind of like the calm after the storm; or should that be the aftermath of the volcano? It’s definitely a lot mellower than the first disc and perfect for chillaxing to late at night. ‘Melrakkablús’ is beautifully mellow and oozes passion, while the guitars have that lonesome jangle to them. Yeah, this probably wouldn’t sound too out of place on the iPod of your average Q or NME reader and as I mentioned earlier this is a band that aren’t afraid to break out from the restrictive ‘metal’ box. I like the Southern twang and the rumbling bass on ‘Draumfari’. ‘Stinningskaldi’ is an interesting point that breaks up the album, with female spoken parts that comes across to these ears like a serious news report, while the danger lurking in the background comes to fruition as the following track ‘Stormfari’ really kicks in with plenty of balls…pounding drums and a strong Gothic beat really puts the FOTN vibe into full swing.
It’s really hard to pick fault with this double album, as once again the ‘Antichristian Icelandic Heathen Bastards’ have blown me away with a magnificent album that will definitely end up in my top albums list this year.
http://www.myspace.com/solstafir
Luci Herbert
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