REVIEW: Sólstafir - Hin helga kvöl

As the nights grow longer, Sólstafir emerge from the shadows with a follow-up album to 2020’s 'Endless Twilight of Codependent Love'. The band, who's name translates to 'crepuscular rays' in Icelandic (referring to sunlight piercing through dark clouds at dusk), have gone back to their pioneering roots with their upcoming opus 'Hin helga kvöl' (The Holy Suffering). Recently announced to be signing with Century Media Records, they perform an expansion rather than a reinvention after over 20 years of leading the Icelandic scene and performing across the globe. Known for their atmospheric and heartfelt sound, we can tell from the first notes that this offering comes from the depth of their souls.

The album opens with 'Hún andar', which was the second single to come out ahead of the album’s release. It loses no time taking us into a dark and heavy universe, and with its ethereal sound and chant it sets the scene, painting a vivid picture of Iceland’s scenery with just a few notes before transitioning into a deep guitar melody. We can already hear the masterful drum rhythm by Hallgrímur Jón Hallgrímsson, that balances the melody to bring depth to the song without being overwhelming. We oscillate between life and death throughout the track which feels like a reverent lament. Lead singer Aðalbjörn Tryggvason expressed that this piece, which translates to ‘She Breaths’, "... is an obituary to a living person whom [he] love[s] very much, but the mind is gone due to mental illness and drug abuse.” This ode of love and pain will seep into your bones until the last note.

Next comes the title track and first single, 'Hin helga kvöl', which is nothing short of a war cry. It also carries some faint whiffs of the band’s black metal roots with catchy guitar breakdowns and even heavier drums, whilst being amazingly frenetic, with aggressive vocals that throw us into a marching chant. These explosive parts are then followed by a deeper, more emotional chant, that evoke the sense of a renewal or even rebirth. When asked about the meaning behind this lead track, guitarist/vocalist Aðalbjörn Tryggvason said “It is a song about dying. It is about the realisation that you will die sooner than later and consciously witnessing the end of your own world. It is one’s own personal idea of Ragnarök - or Armageddon. What happens afterwards? Are we reborn or are we simply food for the worms…”. We arrive on a grand finish, making us feel as if there is an afterlight we have earned it. This is no other than a beacon of hope shining through the heaviest of times.

We come back to 'Blakkrakki' which is a shorter track, but one full of suspense. It carries an uncertainty that ties in with the previous track, making us wonder where we now stand. It takes a turn with a more post metal orchestration that's both new and yet also familiar, displaying the strong identity of Sólstafir and its ability to adapt and overcome. The song sticks with you with its layered composition, and its lingering guitar parts.

These qualities carry on in 'Sálumessa', with a languishing guitar rhythm and repeated drum segments, that feel as if they’re pulling the fabric of time. It takes the road of a more pained ballad, without the doom stylings of previous songs, and builds into a powerful mid section. Being the longest song on the opus, it positions itself as a melancholic and haunting anthem which will keep you in a chokehold for over 7 minutes.

With 'Vor ás' we enter a more post metal and experimental part of the saga. It carries the legacy of the previous pieces while adding back new elements, such as backing vocals, for the first time towards the end of the chorus. It continues honouring their roots and reintroducing them by bringing in a feel and heaviness that evoke their second album 'Masterpiece of Bitterness'. 'Freygátan', on the other hand, brings a piano led start with an emphasis on voice and ambient sounds. These gentle touches make “Grýla” even more impactful as it hits. It's almost a punk song in its approach, with a very gritty singing and instrumentation that keeps us on our toes. 'Nú mun ljósið deyja' takes over with a bang in a very fast paced black metal track that leaves the listener breathless.

As we reach the end, it's impossible to know which way the record will go after the excellent variety we've been treated to so far. The final call 'Kuml' begins with a chant and ambient sound which brings us full circle as it takes after the first track. However, just as it feels safe to assume the track is understood, comes a long instrumental bringing out a saxophone that will leave you stunned. The echo chants that come in afterwards feel like the moment the band look across their shoulders at the rest of the album in memory, as if wrapping up the album by looking back across it all.

'Hin helga kvöl' is not an album, but the sound of a poetic Edda that should be integrated and passed over as the old tales were. Each story is unique and brings something old, something new and all the emotions in between, so make sure not to miss the landing of this Icelandic magic. 

'Hin helga kvöl' will be released on November 8th via Century Media Records.

Catch the band on the UK leg of their tour at these dates:

20.11.24 - Concorde 2, Brighton

21.11.24 - Club Academy, Manchester

23.11.24 - Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow

24.11.24 - Electric Brixton, London

Words: Lysandre Pons

Photos: Sólstafir