ALBUM REVIEW: Hvísl Stjarnanna – Sinmara

Long gone are the days where Norway ruled the land of black metal without opposition. Since the iconic second wave of black metal in the 1990s, regional scenes have sprung up from Greece to the USA, from Sweden to the Middle East – and further still – each one rivalling the “trve” Norwegian scene in quality, if not infamy. However, in 2019, the Icelandic black metal scene conquers all. Alongside SVARTIDAUÐI, MISÞYRMING and ZHRINE, Reykjavík’s SINMARA are proving to be real trailblazers of modern black metal – and their sophomore album, Hvísl Stjarnanna, only serves to further strength this assertion. 

Initially formed as CHAO, the quartet evolved into SINMARA in 2013 following the release of the blistering Spiritus Sankti, unleashing their debut full length, Aphotic Womb, and transitioning into a five-piece the following year. Though Aphotic Womb displayed a darkly chaotic, savage brand of black metal, in the following years SINMARA experimented with a more melodic, emotional style, releasing two splits and an EP – Within The Weaves Of Infinity – that promised a new direction for the band. Now, five years on from Aphotic Womb, it seems the band have really hit their stride in their experimentation, with Hvísl Stjarnanna proving to be not only the magnum opus of their discography, but one of the most incredible black metal albums in recent years.

A blackened-doomy intro leads us into Apparitions, Hvísl Stjarnanna‘s opening song before giving way to the ferocious riff work and tortured, vicious vocals. The cold production gives the aggression a frost-bitten edge, and covers the track in an icy, impenetrable fog that pays dividends to the dark atmosphere – this is a feature that is ever-present throughout Hvísl Stjarnanna. The melody throughout Apparitions is subtle, not immediately attention grabbing but it burrows into your subconscious. A brief, rising note closes the song, and leads wonderfully into Hvísl Stjarnanna‘s lead single, the wonderfully hook-filled Mephitic Haze. Here, vocalist Ólafur Guðjónsson really comes into his own as he projects his blackened growls powerfully through the frozen fog of the production.

The mid-section of Hvísl Stjarnanna features the album’s two shortest tracks, though short is a relative term here with Arteries Of The Withered Earth clocking in at five-minutes-fifty-seconds and Crimson Stars just two seconds shy of the seven-minute mark. Arteries Of The Withered Earth sets its tone immediately with utterly spellbinding guitar work and DISSECTION-esque riffing from axe-men Garðar S. Jónsson and Þórir Garðarsson while Guðjónsson‘s vocals deliver Hvísl Stjarnanna‘s haunting poetry. Crimson Stars, which was the album’s second single, comes in slow, building an oppressive atmosphere with sticks-man Bjarni Einarsson fully utilising the kit. The slower tempo works excellently here, highlighting the power behind Guðjónsson‘s delivery to offering a change of pace form the chaotic, if melodic, blistering first half. Flourishes of stunning lead work further highlight Crimson Stars as one of the stronger moments – though, in fairness, Hvísl Stjarnanna is noticeably lacking in weakness of any form – and the chorus is one of the catchiest bits of black metal you’ll hear this year.

The closing quarter-hour of Hvísl Stjarnanna comes with the one-two of Úr Kaleik Martraða and the title track. Úr Kaleik Martraða sees SINMARA at their most melancholic, almost venturing into black-gaze territory with a slightly more restrained, sombre approach to the sonic viciousness in their arsenal. Undeniably one of the stand out moments, it showcases a whole new level of emotion to SINMARA‘s musicality, while still retaining the chaos, aggression and catchy melody that Hvísl Stjarnanna has established thus far. The title track brings Hvísl Stjarnanna to a thunderous, triumphant close, leading in seamlessly from the closing notes of Úr Kaleik Martraða. A perfect finale, Hvísl Stjarnanna sees all the emotion, all the chaos, all the fury and darkness come to a climatic end.

SINMARA‘s debut album was a strong example of the ferocious power of black metal. It delivered brilliance at every turn, and remains one of the highlight releases from the Icelandic black metal scene. Hvísl Stjarnanna, though, is something else entirely. Harnessing a level of darkness, atmosphere and emotion that is often attempted, but rarely executed so well, Hvísl Stjarnanna is a 42 minute journey of incredible proportions. On a musical level, the album is simply stunning, but it is complimented by the marvellous story-telling within the lyrics and a fantastic production that harnesses the raw, chilling sound black metal is known for, while still allowing everything to cut through. This hybrid blend of blackened chaos and frostbitten melody may just prove to be game-changing for SINMARA, lifting them from cult favourites to black metal legends in the making – this may just be the best black metal album of 2019, and we’re only a week into March.

Rating: 10/10

Hvísl Stjarnanna is out now via Ván Records. 

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