Illkynja – Sæti Sálarinnar (I Want to Learn Icelandic Because This Band is Cool)
History in the making here, folks. I double-checked and, sure enough, there was only one other band from Iceland ever reviewed on this site, by a different writer, and it wasn’t any good so we’ll let that corpse lie in state. In fact, just burn it, for from the ashes rises Illkynja, who is now my favorite band from Iceland of any genre even though it’s really the only one I’ve heard. For an act that’s come out of nowhere, with only one release to its name (this one), that was able to nab two labels for hardcopy releases, Sæti Sálarinnar will surprise you more often than not.
It seems it didn’t receive as much press as I expected. It’s largely so deep under the radar it came out the other side of the earth. Sad, but good for those of us who like it elite coolt. Sæti Sálarinnar impressed me several times, but perhaps the most notable feature is Illkynja’s usage of minor, grating chording and riff action which will absolutely mess with your sense of balance. Yet, this isn’t for the sake of “look at me I’m like messing with shit man,” but rather a finely crafted dissonance that breathes the arcane. It’s almost prognathous in its approach, but yet it never seems to interfere with its own gloominess, somehow. Maybe it was luck. Definitely an act to watch to see, for it foretells great things by itself.
Illkynja – Sæti Sálarinnar
Goathorned Productions, Narbentage Produktionen
Cover Art: Unknown
4.5 / 5
