If ever there were a slow-growing metal album, this is it.
Initially sounding goofy and disjointed, World Metal not only proves to be an eccentric gem but also surprisingly easy listening once you break through the ‘WTF’ barrier.
In many ways this is nothing new for Solefald; like other self-consciously smart musicians of the past (think Frank Zappa), the group often feel the need to inject a provocative zaniness into their work that can be distracting. The opening vocals of Bububu Bad Beuys, for example, just seem unnecessarily, well, silly. The bigger picture, however, is that the band have drawn from a wide musical palette (“from Norwegian metal to Dutch techno to African folk”) and create songs that are not only hugely varied and experimental but also melodic, emotional and memorable. The lyrics are as probing as ever: 2011, Or A Knight Of The Fail is not only a musical highlight but a well-written commentary on terrorist Anders Breivik, Norway’s most hated man.
Via Indie Recordings
