Solbrud - Solbrud

Solbrud is a Danish melodic black metal band. Their self-titled debut full-length contains four long sprawling songs filled with repetitive melodic tremolo picking. The key to making this kind of black metal work is the melodies

Solbrud is a Danish melodic black metal band. Their self-titled debut full-length contains four long sprawling songs filled with repetitive melodic tremolo picking. The key to making this kind of black metal work is the melodies; this obviously isn't catchy music, but spend some time with the album and you'll find parts of it become entrenched in your brain.

Musically the most successful track is the epic "Skyggeriget", with it's almost Pink Floydian intro, the tremendously effective riff at 3:40, and the way the guitarists interplay little atmospheric leads against the constant riffing. Lyrically there is a lot of doomy imagery, but where Solbrud excels is in the "longing for a distant shore" style of lyrics, like this part from Bortgang

When the world comes to an end
And it drowns in an ocean of fire
I will stand at the bow of the longship
Being caressed by the swell's tounge of fire
This my home - I know
It is the land where forests have eyes
Where the ground is burning, yet covered in snow
And eternal darkness rules the sky

It works even better in Danish; the lyrics to Øde Lagt, which centers on the same theme, is quite poetic. The production of the album is a little warmer and fuller than usually for this type of music; while not missing any of the requisite rawness of black metal. While not being particularly original Solbrud have created an effective and memorable album, you should check it out.