By Monk
Kristoffer Gildenlöw will perhaps be known to many long-term readers as one of the founding members and original bassist with Scandinavian progressive metal pioneers Pain Of Salvation, with whom he recorded five studio and two live albums before leaving to plough his own furrow. moving to The Netherlands where he has pursued an extremely active and prolific career as a session musician, working alongside the likes of Lana Lane, Neil Morse. KAYAK and too many more to mention here, as well as his following his own solo path, which has now resulted in this, his fifth titular album, which proves that his tank of creative juices is far from ‘Empty’.
Following a lyrical thematic contemplating the potential futility – or emptiness – of mankind’s essential existence, and “the creator” (whomever or whatever that might be) considering wiping the slate clean and starting over again, embarking on a new journey, ‘Empty’ is a suitably thoughtful, considered and, dare I say it, contemplative and, essentially, reflective album. If you’re looking fora joyous justification of our reason for being, then this is the wrong album for you, as, in many ways, it as as empty of happiness and positivity as its title would suggest. But, having said that, there is also a deeply buried sense of optimism, in that at least the creative side of humanity will win through in the end.
Drawing very much from the dark elements of the likes of Pink Floyd – a very obvious influence of Gildenlow’s sound over the years – ‘Empty’ is also a very laconic album, one which lets the spaces between the sounds fill the voids which they in turn leave, what is left out more important than what is included, leaving room for that consideration and contemplation which the album encourages.
‘Empty’ is a beautifully realized album. One made for sitting in a darkened room, with a bottle of your favourite brandy or whiskey, decanted into your finest crystal goblet, and immersing yourself in its gloomy optimism while considering not the emptiness or futility of our existence but the majesty of the potential which it offers. A challenging album I have had on repeat, especially in my moments of personal loneliness, a soundtrack to self-exploration and potential rejuvenation.
‘Empty‘ is out now.
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