SEEN AND HEARD: SÓLSTAFIR, GOD MACABRE, OAK PANTHEON, ELUVEITIE, ALESTORM

Here are some new things I found over the last 24 hours that I thought were worth sharing around. I’m doing my best to finish a review, so I’m going to atypically attempt to be brief. I know this will cause mass depression among readers, but that’s just the way it has to be.

SÓLSTAFIR

As previously reported, the next album by Iceland’s Sólstafir is named Ótta and will be released by Season of Mist on August 29 in Europe and September 2 in North America. Today the album became available for pre-order in triple-LP format (here) and the cover art was disclosed (above). I don’t know what thinking is behind the use of this photo or how it relates to the music and/or lyrics, but I like it — such a dramatic setting, and such a fascinating face. Bought it.

Also today Stereogum premiered the new album’s title track. You may not be prepared for it. You may not even think it’s metal. But I think it’s goddamned awesome. It’s icy and adrift, bleak and beautiful, melancholy and memorable. But it has a harsh edge as well, it rocks in its own way, and the soaring of the vocals into a howl near the end are very cool. And is that an electrified mandolin I’m hearing, along with the synth and strings? (Answer:  Nope, it’s a banjo!)

Go HERE to listen.

GOD MACABRE

I’ve written before about the Relapse reissue of the one and only album by Sweden’s God Macabre — a band who’ve frequently been on my mind ever since seeing their magnificent set at Maryland Deathfest XII last month. One of my friends who was there with me surprised the hell out of me a few days ago with a gift of the special MDF edition of the LP. And then yesterday I noticed that the digital version of The Winterlong reissue is now available on Bandcamp. If you haven’t heard it, you should. It has lost nothing in the two decades since its original release. Here it is:

https://godmacabre.bandcamp.com

 

 

 

 

OAK PANTHEON

Next month, three years will have passed since the release of Oak Pantheon’s debut EP The Void, which I wrote about here in June 2011, at a time when they were largely unheard of. The band have now announced that they will be releasing a remixed and remastered physical edition of The Void for the first time, and the CD will include new artwork by a dude who was the subject of an earlier post today — Norwegian artist Kim Holm. You can see an image of the front cover above (click it for a larger view), and below you can see another illustration. The band are shooting for a July release of the CD.

https://www.facebook.com/DUHHfans
https://www.facebook.com/OakPantheon

 

 

 

And now for some folk and pirate metal. And for those of you who aren’t into folk and pirate metal, I’ll have a palate cleanser later on today. But you really should listen to these next two songs anyway.

 

 

 

ELUVEITIE

The new album by Switzerland’s Eluveitie is named Origins and it’s due for release by Nuclear Blast on August 4 (UK), August 5 (NorthAm), and August 1 (EU). Yesterday a new song named “King” had its premiere. I’m really liking it. Chrigel’s vocals are savage, the riffs are hard-driving, there’s a flute solo that’s fuckin’ killer, and the jumping melody is awfully damned catchy. One of the best songs I’ve heard from this band in many moons.

https://www.facebook.com/eluveitie/

 

 

 

 

 

ALESTORM

Yes, the pirates of Alestorm have recorded a new album entitled Sunset On the Golden Age and it’s scheduled for release by Napalm Records on August 4 in the UK and August 5 in North America. Today the band released a music video for the track “Drink” from the new album. It’s a big kick in the ass to hear and watch.  “DRINK!  DRINK!  DRINK!” If you don’t have fun with this, your butthole is puckered too tight.

https://www.facebook.com/alestormband