EP REVIEW: Simmar Ur Bild – Grant The Sun

Formed from members of INSENSE and BEATEN TO DEATH, Norwegian band GRANT THE SUN have come together as a power (and what power!) trio. Founding members of INSENSE Havard Sveberg and Martin Rygge (who also plays in grindcore group BEATEN TO DEATH) decided to come together after a decade apart from making music together adding to the mix childhood friend Markus Lillehaug Johnsen and GRANT THE SUN were born.

After releasing their self-titled EP last year the band have now produced their latest four track collection entitled Simmar Ur Bild. Produced, again, by Danne Bergstrand, who has been behind the decks with other such luminaries like STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, MESHUGGAH and BEHEMOTH. The EP opens with Simmar Ur Bild a thunderous doom laden offering sounding what it must feel like to wade through treacle. A slow placed number that opens up sonically after the minute mark to lock in its percussive elements. The song brings together influences like KORN at their most down tuned with guitar work akin to latter day MASTODON. It’s a strange brew of influences that rears its head here and stays for the rest of the other tracks.

Second track Ondskans Vakmastare continues the aforementioned influences but keeps it interesting turns of pace within its percussive elements and a production that separates each instrument to its maximum potential. Listen to how the track is suddenly off down the rabbit hole in one section and another brings it back together showing its jazzy fret work. Third track Tje Kjonoj is a song that wears its MASTODON influences far too close to home, which is no bad thing, MASTODON are currently the top band in the prog genre but this feels a little too like a direct copy of them rather than an influence at times. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to you.

Final track Sjuttonde Maj begins with the jazz influences moving from the guitars to the drums. The clicking of drumsticks and off kilter rhythms are awash within this four minute epic. The lack of vocals across the EP are not missed as the musical diversity is so rich and focused. If anything, an album is what the group need to now focus on. They have solidified their sound with these two short EPs but now need to broaden their sounds outside of the EP format and concentrate on longer collections of soundscapes.

Rating: 8/10

Simmar Ur Bild is out now via Mas-Kina Recordings.

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