Sólstafir – Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love – Album Review

Artist: Sólstafir

Album Title: Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love

Label: Season Of Mist

Date of Release: 6 November 2020

Back in 2014, when undertaking my now-annual tradition top albums of the year countdown, I awarded ‘Ótta’, the fifth release from Icelandic post rock/metal band Sólstafir the number three spot. It was my first real dalliance with the band and that record simply came from nowhere to blow me away. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for insanely good releases from two of my favourite bands in the same year (Evergrey’s ‘Hymns For The Broken’ and ‘Distant Satellites’ by Anathema), ‘Ótta’ may have bagged the top spot. It was just that good.

Then, in 2017, the quartet released ‘Berdreyminn’, an album that pushed ‘Ótta’ close, but fell just short of surpassing it. Nevertheless, with such a high quality one-two in the bag, I have been waiting eagerly for a follow-up. Finally, in 2020, it has arrived in the form of ‘Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love’.

More than any other year I think, I have found myself liking new releases from bands that I’d previously not cared for, forcing me to firmly re-evaluate my thoughts. With this record, it’s a little bit the opposite. Here is a band that I have really loved for the past couple of releases in particular, but try as I might, I just can’t get overly excited by this new one. Now, before I get all the hate mail thrown at me, allow me to explain. I am in no way saying that ‘Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love’ is a bad or even sub-standard album. It isn’t. The music is unarguably very good, and I suspect that there have been many reviews written that extol the virtues of the Icelandic band.

What I have come to realise quite profoundly as I listen to this album more deeply, is that I like Sólstafir more when they are exploring quieter, generally more melancholy soundscapes. I’m less keen when they veer into more heavy, abrasive realms. Sounds a little counter-intuitive I know, but that’s definitely the case here.

Tracks like the opener, ‘Akkeri’ have some nice ideas with a particularly nice melody buried deep at the heart of the song. But the crash, bang, wallop of fuzzed-up dirty post-rock riffs, and more aggressive vocals that feature so prominently are not hitting the mark for me if I’m being brutally honest. The eerie, quiet, and introspective sections stand out as being far more enjoyable for my tastes. Admittedly, the groove that emerges from one such quiet interlude is rather infectious, as is a vaguely NWOBHM melody that is a surprise. But I soon lose interest as the song marches to its conclusion.

Much could be said for the closing track, ‘Úlfur’ as well as ‘Dionysus’ placed midway through the album. Again, both have some quality running through them as well as plenty of variety in the case of the final song. But I simply don’t derive the same amount of pleasure from either of these as I do from other tracks on ‘Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love’.

I think some of it has to do with the deliberately raw production. It might be the quality of the mp3 promo that I have, but everything sounds a little too fuzzy, echoey and harsh on my poor little ears. Again, many might see this as a positive but not me, I’m afraid.

Give me songs like ‘Drýsill’ any day of the week. Dark, moody, emotional, full of atmosphere, and topped off by some beautiful melodies, this is the Sólstafir that I like the best as it transpires. I feel more of a connection to the music, and am far more engaged and moved by the output. The lead guitar licks are haunting and arresting in equal measure, the bass is gorgeous and understated, whilst the waves of synths are beguiling. And when the song does veer into heavier territory, it remains built around the central, powerful melodies, meaning that they work better from my perspective. In essence, this is a killer song and it once again transports me to a rugged country with which I have a strong affinity.

I still remain in two minds about the unconventional vocals of guitarist Aðalbjörn “Addi” Tryggvason on this record too. At times, I find his delivery to be jarring and obtrusive to my overall enjoyment. However, on tracks like ‘Rökkur’ towards the end, he fits the music so perfectly, it’s insane, even if it isn’t my favourite song to begin with. But the frustration, angst and poignant delicacy is so engrossing, I do get swept up in the emotion of it all as it draws to a close.

‘Til Moldar’, on the other hand is utterly magical and stunningly beautiful. It’s much more ethereal and ambient in tone, with Tryggvason sounding more vulnerable than at any other point. The melodies are captivating, as is the apparent simplicity of the composition, proving that when it comes to Sólstafir, less can be more, very much more.

The exception to the ‘heavy’ rule I earlier applied can be found with ‘Or’. The quiet piano intro is cool, as is the relaxed vibe that permeates in the opening stages. But the song gradually builds in intensity, and on this occasion, the more jagged sounds work, thanks to the strength of the melodies and the variety that’s injected to prevent the music getting too overbearing. In fact, I have to admit that this song is a bit of an anthem, truth be told.

NeverthelessIt pains me to say it, but some of the magic of Sólstafir seems to have dissipated on ‘Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love’. There are still some tracks that make me remember what it was that beguiled me on their previous two albums. However, it’s a mixed bag that frustrates me as much as it impresses me. When they are hot, Sólstafir can be damn near untouchable. But when they’re not, I’m itching to press the skip button. Still, kudos to the band for continuing to go their own merry way – it means that there isn’t another band out there that sounds like them, something that is sorely lacking these days. Regardless of my review, I highly recommend checking out ‘Endless Twilight Of Co-Dependent Love’ for yourselves because you might love it.

The Score of Much Metal: 79%