Solbrud – IIII
Origin: Denmark
Release: 02.02.2024
Label: Vendetta Records
Duration: 01:34:13
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Photo Credit: C-Adrian
It’s the year 2021, Corona is felt everywhere, hardly any live concerts, everyone is wondering what will happen next? In order to satisfy the craving for concerts, the black metallers from Denmark are throwing in the saving anchor. They release a live album that is second to none.
Living in Brønshøj water tower was full of authenticity and power that I rarely find in live albums. To my shame, I only became aware of the Danes through this album and previously missed three masterpieces of black metal art. Today their fourth album is ready and they have chosen an interesting path that, for me, pushes the boundaries of songwriting in this genre.
Genius over egoism
What exactly do I mean by that? The guys from Copenhagen are in charge of songwriting IIII divided by four and every musician takes place on these epic 94 minutes, everyone plays with their influences and that’s exactly how you perceive the album. A collection of atmospheric sounds that merge into a spherical unity. Can it be said that this epic, which thematically deals with the four elements, is too long? Never, from the first to the last second, this masterpiece won’t let you go.
The basic elements as anchors
Kilometers of high guitar walls play picturesque melodies that wrap around you like a warm blanket and so that the feel-good factor is all too high, the Danes let it rain ice-cold Black Metal. A so-called musical Kneipp bath for all genre fans.
The album represents what I love modern black metal for: diversity in songwriting and the special way of approaching this album allows for extraordinary songs like the epic one Fogtranslated as fog, arise. HERE you can let the fog surround you. Solstice manage to captivate you with every track and surprise you with new ways of playing.
Four times four
They juggle with classic rock elements or classical guitars, like in a casual epic Soul cry which has a provocative slowness and in me memories of a piece of Selim Lemouchi awakens.
Then again they convince with Black Metal that freezes your blood in your veins. free should be mentioned first and foremost. In addition, they add one more thing and insert a four-part musical concept between the thematic concept.
The four-part one When the Sun Breaks reminds me of old ones Herunar to Sol Brilliant times and hits my nerve exactly. It builds on each other intelligently and ultimately could have been a tremendous song. My deep bow to such creativity. Sound-wise everything was done by Flemming Rasmussen refined. What more do I have to say about that? Great tennis!
Conclusion
Damn, 2024 is off to a fantastic start and I’ve spent hours thinking about whether I should get the highest score yet? But what Solbrud is doing here simply leaves me no other choice. For me, IIII stands for balance, beauty and the perfect atmospheric black metal. 10/10
Line Up
David Hernan – vocals, guitar
Adrian Utzon Dietz – Guitar
Tobias Hjorth Pedersen – Bass
Troels Hjorth Pedersen – Schlagzeug
Tracklist
01. Rest
02. Fog
03. When the Sun Breaks Part I – A Wonder Awakens in My Mind
04. When the Sun Breaks Part II – Towards the Flame Sea of the Abyss
05. When the Sun Breaks Part III – Forever, Forever, Changed
06. When the Sun Breaks Part IIII – A New Time for Me Is Coming
07. Noble council
08. Soul cry
09. A Fire Like a Thousand Suns
10. Free
11. Postludium
Links
Facebook Solbrud
Instagram Solbrud
Bandcamp Solbrud
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