SÓLSTAFIR - ORANSSI PAZUZU - HAMFERĐ

SÓLSTAFIR

A quarter of a century after singer/guitarist Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason co-founded atmospheric Icelandic metal quartet Sólstafir, they continue to follow their cardinal rule – that there are no rules. For them, writing an epic 10-minute song without a traditional verse/chorus trade-off feels natural.

While they have done two albums in English, he mainly sings in their native tongue and his vocals are as much an instrument as a vessel for words. Their videos equally showcase the band and their Icelandic world that they commune with.

While early Sólstafir lyrics delved into Nordic mythology and critiques of organized religion, more recent songs explore their spiritual connection with nature, and lately, mental disorders ranging from depression to alcoholism and the taboo behind men in particular discussing those things for fear of being perceived weak.

Although the band’s lyrics are predominately in Icelandic, that does not prevent outside listeners from appreciating the emotional power of their music. It has been said that many fans can feel his pain even if they do not overtly understand what he is singing about.

ORANSSI PAZUZU

Uncovering the intensity and the metal inherent in non-metal, the avant-garde and anti-traditionalist inclinations of Finland’s ORANSSI PAZUZU have always had transcendental goals at heart.

As “Oranssi”, meaning “orange” in their native Finnish language, is the colour of cosmic energy and “Pazuzu” is the ancient Mesopotamian demon of the wind, their swirling kaleidoscope of psychedelia has blown through the underground to redefine boundaries ever since their inception in 2007.

ORANSSI PAZUZU are sound-smiths crafting new worlds. Releasing 3 genre-warping albums, “Muukalainen Puhuu” (2009), “Kosmonument” (2010) and “Valonielu” (2013), before their critically acclaimed breakthrough work “Värähtelijä” (2016), brought them the buzz of fervent mainstream recognition, a place on James Hetfield’s personal Spotify playlist, a glowing review in Pitchfork and packed out live shows. ORANSSI PAZUZU’s trajectory has continued to soar.

Saying that ORANSSI PAZUZU breathe new life into the rarefied air of 70s prog and krautrock or that they fuse supernatural acid-house into the methods of composers such as Glass or Reich, neglects to mention their canny sense of captivating rhythm and utter pop sensibility. This is cutting edge sound art, a dangerously pumping and ecstatic red pill for a higher state of reality. Ingest for illumination.

HAMFERĐ

“Hamferð » is a ferroan word that refers to the apparitions of sailor who went missing at sea; but it’s also a doom metal band from the Faroe Islands, formed in 2008.

Their powerful, emotional music takes its roots into the mystical landscapes of their native island; and their lyrics, written in ferroan, tell dark tales inspired by the local culture. During captivating live sets, Hamferð  conquered an international public and became a key figure of the Nordic metal scene. Since their inception, their released various critically acclaimed albums, forging their reputation as one of the most remarkable and innovative bands of the doom metal scene.