CD review SÓLSTAFIR ‘Endless Twilight of Codependent Love’

Sólstafir’s music reflects the coolness of an Icelandic glacier and the flaming heart of a volcano, manifested on seven releases of which ‘Endless Twilight of Codependent Love’ is the newest one.

The Reykjavik-based quartet started their music endeavor in 1995 and it took a while until a debut album could be spotted in the record stores. ‘Í blóði og anda’ is the for non-Icelandics unpronounceable title of the first release, an album that helped to pave the way for reaching fans of rock- and metal fans wider than Iceland only. One of the success factors of Sólstafir is a rather stable line-up since 1999 with Hallgrímur Jón Hallgrímsson, the newest member of the band, being on board since three years.

Sólstafir evolved from a harsh black metal outfit over time into an atmospheric post metal powerhouse. The quartet doesn’t only rely on the savage aggressiveness of black metal anymore. There are the raging moments (‘Dioysus’) but in general the atmospheric sounds took over, allowing the band to create music that unleashes ones own individual movie while listening to the songs.

‘Drysill’ for example, with its galloping beat and well-placed breaks is one of these great compositions, penned by the four guys from Iceland. ‘Drysill’ is the second song on the album and follows the 10 minutes opener ‘Akkeri’, another role model of excellently written and performed music. Sólstafir touch your soul with their music, an undeniable factor of importance when it comes to music.

The melancholic ‘Her Fall From Grace’ is another song that cut to the quick. A vibe of deep minor embraces the song and makes it fascinating at the same time. And is it me only that thinks that there is even a very short and subtile sequence of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ build in? Also not to forget is the solidly rocking ‘Alda Syndanna’, a track with a gothic vibe that reaches the dark souls. The melody here is stellar.

The songs on ‘Endless Twilight of Codependent Love’ represent music that is beyond the usual verse/chorus/ verse… approach. Sólstafir’s music stands for a flow of tones and sounds, a Gesamtkunstwerk in which the total is even stronger than its individual pieces. ‘Endless Twilight of Codependent Love’ is Sólstafir’s strongest release to date. It’s a record that puts a spell on you from start to end and seldomly darkness was so attractive. ‘Endless Twilight of Codependent Love’ – an album like a music trip through Iceland in times of massive travel restrictions.