Down I Go – Mortals

Hovering between Iceland and the United Kingdom like the plume of ash of the Eyjafjallajökull, the progressive hardcore trio Down I Go recently released an EP by the title of Mortals. Their 2015 full-length, You’re Lucky God, That I Cannot Reach You struck my imagination – and I’m sure many of yours – with just how near perfection and unique it was. I still have shivers when the “Mother in the Pen” theme gets brought back at the end of “The Sending”, it wraps this masterpiece beautifully. Mortals is more akin to one of the band’s other thematic EPs, … Read more

Seiðlæti – Þagnarþulur

The Icelandic entity Seiðlæti recently released their debut album, Þagnarþulur. The folk music duo – Uni and Reynir – interprets there seventeen poems with minimalistic, ritualistic percussions conveyed by a total of six musicians. Right off the bat, I have to draw some easy comparison between Uni’s voice and world-famous Icelandic singer Björk. Both voices share some timbral similarities, especially when referring to the less experimental, folk side of the latter. Maybe it’s the inherent sonority of íslenska that bring the two closer in my head, but whether that is the case or not, I want you to know … Read more

The Eyjafjallajökull, double Icelandic metal review: Momentum and Misþyrming

Momentum started out in 2003, in the capital Reykjavik, where more than a third of Iceland’s population resides. With black and death metal roots, they have evolved their very own sound, which could be vaguely described as psychedelic progressive doom. Their latest album, The Freak Is Alive, shows the band in its best form yet: heavy and slow riffs, intricate drumming, low vocals that sound like they’re from a Russian choir, and the use of uncommon instrumentation in some parts (sitar and bells, for example). All of this makes for an interesting listen that doesn’t wear out after repeated… Read more