Icelandic Metal

Drungi – Hamfarir Hugans Review

By GardensTale on April 16, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Folk Metal, Heavy Metal, 1 comment

“I love ‘for fans of’ or ‘related artists’ shorthands. In lieu of the endless genre discussions, it’s a great shortcut to match potential fans with new music. It has its shortcomings, of course; for one, you need to actually know the bands to get a feeling for whether it might be up your alley. Furthermore, bands can abuse it by referencing a bunch of popular bands, even when their style is only tangentially related. Case in point: the promo sheet for Drungi’s self-released debut Hamfarir Hugans included such a baffling spread in their FFO, I was immediately skeptical. Sólstafir, Skálmöld, Black Sabbath, Gojira and Manowar. What on Earth could possibly sound like all of those at the same time?” Sounds like…madness.

Skálmöld – Ýdalir Review

By Dr. A.N. Grier on August 22, 2023 in Reviews, Folk Metal, Viking Metal, 21 comments

“Though Skálmöld does possess a weirdness with their hundred-guitar lineup and varying vocal styles, they combine the storytelling of Týr with the savagery of Fintroll. The result is some rather adventurous music with flailing riff changes, mead-swigging layers, and unexpected transitions from barks, rasps, and cleans. As one would expect, sometimes all this sorcery falls flat or straight-up doesn’t work. And after engaging with 2019’s Sorgir, I fear the band might be stuck in a well with great performances but incohesive songwriting and flow. Once I find the link to this fucking stream, I’ll let you know how Ýdalir fares.” Black möld? Comeback möld?

Altari – Kröflueldar Review

By Dear Hollow on April 19, 2023 in Reviews, Black Metal, Psychedelic Rock, 43 comments

“Icelandic black metal, embodied in acts like Svartidauði, Misþyrming, and Wormlust, has taken on a life of its own, metonymy of the caustic lava and devastated landforms through unforgiving obsidian guitar tones and warped dissonance. It’s largely become a cultural icon, a treasure, and a representation of their unique and otherworldly land. While most Icelanders of the blackened persuasion greet the ears with blazing vistas of the barrenness, Altari settles into it with patient tempos and contemplative riffs, sinking fingernails deep into the scorched soil.” Fire and Iceland.

Úlfúð – Of Existential Distortion Review

By Thus Spoke on March 14, 2023 in Reviews, 24 comments

“The concept Of Existential Distortion intrigues me. Does it imply some horrifying limbo state of being? A twisting and defilement of existing things? Úlfúð—pronounced “Ool-wooth” and meaning “animosity”—confirm at least the sentiment of dread with their sinister blackened death. Hailing from the remote and starkly beautiful Iceland, one has a preconception that the music will be likewise harsh and cold, infusing an already bleak subject matter and musical style with extra grimness. Úlfúð don’t necessarily make good on this assumption.” Icelandic warping.

Mannveira – Vitahringur Review

By Doom_et_Al on June 30, 2021 in Reviews, Black Metal, 34 comments

“Let’s play a game. I write a word, you think of the first thing that comes to mind. Ready? Ok, good. First up: Holdeneye… Did you think, “4.0”? Well done. Next is a bit tougher: Anthrax… Did you think, “The worst of the Big Four”? You’re good at this! Last one: “Iceland.” If you didn’t immediately think “Cavernous, epic, dissonant black metal!” then you simply haven’t been coming to this site long enough. For a nation so tiny, Iceland consistently produces the best black metal in the world (although Norway and Poland are giving it a run for its money this year). More impressively, there is a distinct Icelandic “sound” that is immediately recognizable when you plug into it. So you can imagine my joy when a new Icelandic BM album dropped: Vitahringur (Lighthouse) by Mannveira.” Black ice melts slowly.

Árstíðir lífsins – Saga á tveim tungum II: Eigi fjǫll né firðir [Things You Might Have Missed 2020]

By Twelve on December 6, 2020 in Things You Might Have Missed 2020, Black Metal, 37 comments

“Árstíðir lífsins was perhaps my most joyous discovery of 2019. I’ve heard Norse-themed black metal done before, but never the way this trio does it. Saga á tveim tungum I: Vápn ok viðr confidently strode into my top ten for the year, and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the followup record ever since.” Saga for the ages.

Sólstafir – Endless Twilight of Co-Dependent Love Review

By Carcharodon on November 2, 2020 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 26 comments

“Icelandic post-metal titans Sólstafir need little introduction but we at AMG Towers are fans of formulaic, masturbatory prose, so I’ll provide one anyway. Sólstafir is Icelandic for ‘radiating sun beams,’ something I have always thought to be wildly inaccurate as a name for this entity, which at no point embodies sunshine. In their early days, Sólstafir played raw, aggressive black metal, interspersed with hints of Viking metal and occasional atmospheric passages (see the debut, Í blóði og anda). Since then, with each release, Sólstafir have evolved, peaking, many would argue, on their fifth full-length, 2014’s Ótta.” Twilight of the Ice Lords?

Auðn – Vökudraumsins Fangi Review

By GardensTale on October 28, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 33 comments

“It’s one thing to write a review of a returning band you’ve reviewed before. It’s a whole other ballgame to review a returning band that one of the most respected and revered staff members on the site has covered previously. If their review was controversially critical about a popular young artist well on the rise, the pressure only mounts. Not that I disagree with Grymm’s take on Auðn’s last offering. Being relatively fresh to black metal and its myriad offshoots, I hadn’t heard Farvegir Fyrndar before, but on a cursory spin, the unpopular stance that the production ruined an otherwise very solid piece of Icelandic atmo-black rang true with yours truly.” New day, new production.

Dynfari – Myrkurs er þörf Review

By Doom_et_Al on September 22, 2020 in Reviews, Post-Metal, 10 comments

“One of the countless awful consequences of COVID-19 has been music from artists having their releases delayed. Icelanders Dynfari were one of many victims of this. Their fifth album, Myrkurs er þörf (Darkness is Needed), originally slated for an April release, is only seeing the light of day now. For the uninitiated, Dynfari plays an organic blend of black metal and post-metal in the vein of Sólstafir and Agalloch. Their last LP, The Four Doors of the Mind, was a concept album chronicling the various human responses to profound mental trauma.” Therapy delayed.

Illkynja – Sæti Sálarinnar Review

By Dear Hollow on September 18, 2020 in Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 14 comments

“Illkynja, like many of its country’s blackened offerings, is a project shrouded in mystery. It’s unknown how many members are involved or how prolific to the scene–only that the project is Icelandic in origin. Goathorned Productions debut Sæti Sálarinnar features all the hallmarks of Icelandic style: scathing layers of dissonance, pummeling drums, and punishing roars reminiscent of Almyrkvi or Andavald.” Iceland, man.