SKARNTYDE

This album is definitely a good effort by this young band and a great listen for fans of slow, brooding post-rock music. All the tracks develop slowly and do not bear the standard pattern of chorus - verse etc. Instead they slowly build up, sometimes into slow and heavy post rock in the vein of Cult of Luna (but without the shouting vocals, which may make it more appealing to some listeners) and sometimes to only come down even further into vast soundscapes.

The album carries a sense of melancholy, perhaps typical of some Scandinavian music. I personally find it very haunting but it may seem to melancholic in the long run for some listeners. Perhaps the music could be described of a mix between the softer atmospheres of Explosions In The Sky and the dark one of Cult of Luna (who surely were an influence since the album was mixed by Magnus Lindberg, one of the founders of CoL).

This music is not meant for a quick listen or easy enjoyment; rather it demands some attention through its intense atmosphere, perhaps while taking a long walk in the counrtyside. A well-done debut full album (the EP is also similarly enjoyable), recommended for fans of the genre.