There’s something about Iceland and its arid vasts that produces especially ethereal kind of music. Be it Bjork, M?m, Sigur R?s or even progressive doomsters S?lstafir, the Icelanders’ music breathes spirituality, originality an almost astral beauty. In S?lstafir’s case that would be savage beauty. Having been around for 15 years and having released their art very sparingly, during the years S?lstafir have honed their craft to its formless, free-flowing perfection. 2005’s “Masterpiece of Bitterness” already drew rave reviews across the globe for its musical braveness and “K?ld” (extreme cold in English) sees the nonconformist Northmen pushing the envelope yet further. Instead of proceeding linearly from point A to point B like most contemporary pop music, S?lstafir’s hypnotic doom rock paints bigger pictures. Like snow and volcanic stone of their homeland, soothing tranquillity and unpredictable sonic violence take turns in the Icelanders’ music. Formless compositions flow free, straying like a stream of consciousness across surreal musical landscapes. There are no catchy choruses here. It could be stated that instead of music in its traditional sense, S?lstafir is an exceptional embodiment of adventurousness, charting the whole scope of musical expression. Transcending the boundaries of rock, S?lstafir defies classification. They’re hypnotic and unpredictable. Cinematic yet spontaneous. Traditional and unrestrained at the same time. Clear like Icelandic sky, black like molten lava. Trailblazing post doom.
