Dynfari – Myrkurs er þörf – Album Review

Artist: Dynfari

Album Title: Myrkurs er þörf

Label: Code666

Date of Release: 18 September 2020

Those that know me, know that I have a soft spot for all things Iceland. You’ll also know that I have another soft spot for bands like Solstafir, who blend organic, melodic, and atmospheric black metal with more post-metal offerings. Put the two together and you’re faced with Dynfari, and their fifth album ‘Myrkurs er þörf’, translated to mean ‘Darkness Is Needed’.

Dynfari is comprised of Jóhann Örn (vocals, bass, accordion, synths, guitars), Jón Emil (drums, percussion, guitars), Martin Tsenov (guitars), and Bragi Knutsson (guitars). Aside from the fact that September was a month where I felt burnt out by reviews, the delay in bringing this review to fruition is because I have been in two minds about it. The reason for my confusion, it turns out, is obvious, but it took me a little while to figure out. It’s the production.

Make no mistake, I do like a clear, rich production. But I’m all in favour of a raw production if it is in keeping with the music and the aesthetics of the output. Here though, I can’t help but think that the music would have been much better-served with a better sound. No, that’s wrong. Not better, just different. It is clear that the quartet wanted to achieve a rawer output this time around, and had said as much prior to the release of this record. But, in my opinion, it has gone too far, and it robs me of some of my enjoyment of the music on offer.

I get the feeling, every time I listen, that I really should be enjoying the music more than I do, that this could be an incredibly satisfying record, full of material that I would normally lap up. But there’s a flatness to the experience. My aging dog went to the vets recently and the quality of her eyesight was likened to seeing things through a pair of net curtains. I might describe listening to this album in a similar fashion, that it is like listening to the music with your hands over your ears. There’s a lack of definition, a muddiness, and a dullness that is difficult to reconcile with.

But hey, let’s be more positive and instead, focus on the strengths of ‘Myrkurs er þörf’. These strengths are undoubtedly in the compositional nous of the band, and their individual abilities, meaning that the songs themselves are very good, and can be enjoyed despite my misgivings over the production.

Dynfari get the ball rolling with ‘Dauðans dimmu dagar’, an atmospheric post rock/metal instrumental with a sense of grandeur, as well as a simple, yet effective melodic spine. It’s a rousing opener, one that gets stronger the more times I listen to it.

In contrast, ‘Langar nætur (í botnlausum spíralstiga)’ is very much cut from the black metal cloth, with fast riffing and potent drumming at the centre of things. Then, out of nowhere, comes an extremely flamboyant lead guitar section, under which are some great chunky riffs that are allowed to resonate beautifully. The lead guitar histrionics continue, with some glorious wailing to be heard. Jóhann Örn’s vocals are rather intriguing too, being part spoken, part screamed, and occasionally off-key, although I rather suspect this is deliberate, as it works surprisingly well.

If truth be told, the more I listen to ‘Myrkurs er þörf’, the more I tend to notice that’s positive. Further highlights from out of the murkiness include ‘Ég tortímdi sjálfum mér’, which begins gently with a throbbing bass, an instrument that is absent without leave at points on the record. But it slowly builds and, with the increase of soaring, ethereal vocals to counterpoint the more general, earthy tones, not to mention an expansive lead guitar lick, there’s a thoroughly enjoyable epic quality to the composition. ‘Peripheral Dreams’ by contrast, begins at a fair pace, before settling into a sedate plod for large periods. With some exquisite moments, the band explores those post-rock tendencies to full effect in the process, made all the more powerful by the juxtaposition with the more frantic black metal aspects of the song. At over ten minutes, it’s the longest composition on the album, but it also happens to be one of the best, too.

Get past the raw production, concentrate, and there’s a really great album to be heard here. Dynfari are a class act, as ‘Myrkurs er þörf’ more than ably demonstrates, especially when it comes to writing emotive and evocative soundscapes within the black/post-rock sphere. I just hope that the band realise that they might have gone a bit too far with the production on this occasion, and rectify it next time, so that their huge abilities can shine unhindered.

The Score of Much Metal: 79%