ALBUM REVIEW: Sólstafir – Hin Helga Kvöl

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Solstafir - Hin Helga Kvöl

Iceland’s Sólstafir return with their eighth album, Hin Helga Kvöl, bringing us more of their unique style of Black Metal. Like all their other albums it is sung entirely in their mother tongue. 

It’s the vocals of Ađalbjörn Tryggvason (vocal, guitar and piano) that are instantly recognisable, at times tortured, at others more restrained, but always feel heartfelt. As for the music, Black Metal is too constrictive a genre for this, it’s more like an array of soundscapes, with a glorious variety of styles, speeds and instrumentation. If your only experience of Sólstafir is 2014s Ótta then you are in for a shock, because this album has more aggression. 

The title track is seriously angry sounding, with almost grindcore speed drums, courtesy of Hallgrímur Jón Hallgrímsson (drums, backing vocals), slowing to a crawl for a beautiful instrumental section, before returning to the blast beats again. The bass of Svavar Austmann underpins everything and really compliments the guitars of Sæpór Maríus Sæpórsson and Tryggvason beautifully. Towards the end of this track there is a very Slayeresque section, very reminiscent both musically and vocally to the torture list section of Angel Of Death! 

Solstafir - Hin Helga Kvöl

By contrast, this is followed by the straight-ahead catchy rock of lead single Blakkrakki, with its simple verse and the title repeated as a chorus. It’s a good fun song, which is followed by a much more solemn, dirge of Sálumessa which is a really atmospheric tune. What really stands out across the nine songs is the variety of styles on offer, from the full-on extremity of the title track to the softer, expansive songs like Grýla, this is an album that takes you on a journey. We even get a bit of a School of Rock section on Vor Ás, with female backing vocals repeating the main vocals, a la the “Way Hardcore” sections of “The Legend Of The Rent”, which I actually really enjoyed. We get an instrumental of dirgy guitar drones with a moody sax solo with final track Kuml, and a Gregorian/Sufi chant over some really heavy guitar section in the middle then back to the moody sax again. 

It is a truly magical end to this wonderful album, this is a real contender for my album of the year!

Hin Helga Kvöl is released on 8th November via Century Media Records
Review by Andrew Matthews

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