SÓLSTAFIR’s Hin helga kvöl: A Mesmerizing Journey from Black Metal to Anthemic Rock

Review By Glen Parkes

Icelandic metal giants SÓLSTAFIR are back with their new album, Hin helga kvöl, releasing November 8 via Century Media Records. This project effortlessly traverses the band’s signature black metal origins while infusing rich, tuneful rock. A testament to SÓLSTAFIR’s skill in genre-blending, Hin helga kvöl weaves complex rhythms, heartfelt performances, and stunning arrangements into an album that’s both ambitious and haunting.

Hallgrímur Jón Hallgrímsson on drums brings a nuanced, unrestrained edge to each song, guiding the tempo through exhilarating time signature changes that surprise and invigorate. The interplay between Svavar Austmann’s basslines and Sæþór Maríus Sæþórsson’s intricate guitar work creates a texture that’s lush yet spacious, balancing the album’s heavier moments with delicate, stripped-back sections. Each track seems to ebb and flow through cascading soundscapes, thanks to Hin helga kvöl’s thoughtful production and layered instrumentation.