Metal Maniac

Sólstafir is another band that I’ve been following its works for many years. A band that I have always truly loved the works they’ve released and I was lucky enough to manage to interview them for this website, Metal Maniac. I am aware that they don’t need more reviews on Ótta, which is already a highly praised album from many huge websites, but I’m here, as I always say, to share my thoughts for the bands’ music simply out of love. And that’s what I do, I share my feelings over a release, I never want to write huge technical and detailed reviews on albums, just what I felt while listening to it and that you might share with me.

When an album is considered near perfect by this humble metal listener, I find it much, much more difficult to review. And such is the case with Ótta… in my humble opinion, nothing shorter than a masterpiece, stunning, exquisite, beautiful and passionate. I have to quote the description of the album, because I really find no words:

“This masterpiece comes with a red hot passion like glowing magma and emotionality as stormy as the wild Northern Atlantic. Aðalbjörn Tryggvason’s gritty vocals grind the soul like an Icelandic gravel field and still carry the dark melancholy of a Nordic winter night. One moment the strings soar like raging flames, the next they spiral with hypnotic force to the capturing pounding of drum and bass. Although there is a tendency of the first part “Andvari” to tend towards the psychedelic, while the second half “Gola” reveals a more rocking outlook, both belong together and never fail to amaze, astonish and surprise.”

The music is rich, varied, hypnotic, brilliant with a gorgeous atmosphere and the presence of their raw metal/ black metal roots, post-rock and the use of Icelandic folk instruments. It’s indeed, as I’ve mentioned before, very difficult to explain how I feel over Ótta, but I can say that when I listen to this album, I feel like I’m not here, I’m away from everyday problems, irritations and stress, I just let this incredible music take me into the subconscious levels. It is an extraordinary journey.

Please, I kindly ask you all to support the bands that you like, especially Sólstafir, as their latest album is being “reviewed” right now. I urge you to do what’s in your hands to help the band, be it about sharing their links, attending a concert or buy the album or the merchandise, it doesn’t matter, as long as you do something in return for such a fascinating creation that is Ótta.

Have a good day.

Grade: 10/10

Band: Sólstafir

Album: Ótta (2014)

Label: Season of Mist

Tracklist:

1. Lágnætti

2. Ótta

3. Rismál

4. Dagmál

5. Miðdegi

6. Nón

7. Miðaftann

8. Náttmál

Sólstafir is:

Guðmundur Óli Pálmason – Drums

Aðalbjörn Tryggvason – Guitars, Vocals

Svavar Austman – Bass

Sæþór Maríus Sæþórsson – Guitars

Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/solstafirice

Official Bandcamp: http://solstafir.bandcamp.com/

All photos belong to their rightful owners.