Sólstafir – Endless Twilight of Codependent Love

In case you have forgotten how messed up people can be “Endless Twilight of Codependent Love” is here to remind you that in the most beautiful way possible.  This is the 7^th album by the Icelandic post-metal band Sólstafir.

I was thrilled upon seeing that familiar face on the cover standing in front of me – lady Iceland herself! Johann Baptist Zwecker’s “The Lady of the Mountain” couldn’t be a more perfect fit for Sólstafir’s distinguished sound. The soft pastel shades, beautiful scenery, the confidence on her face and the sword in hand represent perfectly that mix of peace and power in their music.

The record holds the quality you’d expect and more, having a lot of experimental elements. Each song has its own direction, but they all together represent the good, the bad and the ugly of Iceland. The beautiful melodies paint the pictures of the fjords, snow wastelands and high mountains while the lyrics focus on the darkness within the nation of this beautiful country.

The band doesn’t shy away from putting everything on the table with the first song, ranging from atmospheric post rock riffs, emotional vocals, blast beats, some old school influences and a bit of cowbell for spice.

Sólstafir – Akkeri (click here if the video doesn’t play)

The second song on the album, ‘Drýsill’, manages to build that beautiful soundscape almost right away. The moment the synths come in, I could feel the breath of the cold Icelandic winter hitting the back of my neck and causing a shiver down my spine. The dimension created by this simple sound is fantastic.

Sólstafir – Drýsill (click here if the video doesn’t play)

Up next comes ‘Rökkur’ with its lovely violin intro. The dream-like bells and deserty guitar tone create very pleasing combination.

‘Her fall from grace’ is the only English song on this record, making it stand out. As much as I don’t want to drag the only track I fully understand, this one is a bit disappointing. First time hearing the “nanana” part felt like biting into a chocolate chip cookie only to find out it’s actually filled with raisins. It kills completely the serious tone of the song.

Sólstafir – Her fall from Grace (click here if the video doesn’t play)

In ‘Dionysus’ we get some of that black metal Sólstafir from their earlier days, completely contrasting with the following ‘Til Moldar’. But don’t let the mellow tone of that track fool you, the song tackles yet another depressing topic – suicide.

‘Or’ takes a more bluesy direction right from the start with that western bar intro, which fits the whole picture surprisingly well.

To sum it all up in one sentence: “Endless Twilight of Codependent Love” has a lot to offer with its diverse composition and heavy everyday societal topics. Even if you don’t understand the lyrics, the instrumental itself will surely make you feel something.

Tracklist:

1. Akkeri
2. Drýsill
3. Rökkur
4. Her Fall from Grace
5. Dionysus
6. Til Moldar
7. Alda Syndanna
8. Or
9. Úlfur