By Bona Pjarren
Ofdrykkja are a neofolk/post rock three piece from Sweden. Let’s start by seeing what their PR blurb says about them: “It is no secret that the music of Ofdrykkja has never sounded quite the same. As the Swedish trio strive to keep evolving on a personal level, this is naturally reflected in their music, as well. While 2019’s preceding ‘Gryningsvisor’ was more of a traditional atmospheric/ambient black metal album, the aptly titled ‘After the Storm’ ventures away, off the beaten path, and proceeds to distance itself from some of the more traditional elements that are usually prominent in metal music.”
With that said, let’s get into the review.
‘The Light’ is the first song on the album and it is acoustic and gentle. Delicately picked melody floats gently underneath ethereal vocals. It is all very relaxing as it builds in intensity only to fall away into the ether. It is a solid start to the album.
‘Hårgalåten’ is next and is a cover of a traditional Swedish folk song. And a rather beautiful song it is as well. It rolls along driven by the frame drum that adds a heartbeat to the tune. The harp gives another complimentary dimension to the track and is very easy on the ear. ‘The Mære’, or ‘The Famous’ is a more contemporary sounding track with more electronica in its makeup. Guttural vocals really work well over the keyboard and harp. Female vocals float in between the main song. It is a heady mix and really gives something a bit different.
‘After The Storm’, the title track, has an unhurried tribal feel to it. It rolls gently over the listener in a modern folk way. It is another quite gentle piece that carries you along and is mesmerising. ‘After The Storm’ feels simple in its laid back appeal. ‘The Cleansing’ enters with an atmospheric wash before building into an up tempo acoustic picked piece. Guttural vocals are again to the fore as are the plaintiff tones of the viola. It is another strange mix that weirdly works.
‘Själavandring’ means reincarnation and is a jolly piece of predominantly guitar music with some nice vocal female washes. Its up tempo joyful attitude is very uplifting. ‘Beyond The Belt Of Orion’ is a contemplative song with spoken word dialogue that adds a certain melancholic feel to the proceedings. The main body of the tune is carried on acoustic guitar and it has a certain simplicity to it. It is by far the longest track on the album and has a hypnotic feel to it. It actually is an epic monologue.
‘After The Storm’ is a very easy album to listen to. It has an endearing simplicity to its construction and is entrancing in its construction. Add to that some unusual combinations of styles and you have an enthralling collection of tunes.
Ofdrykkja have really created something compelling and a bit different with ‘After The Storm’. Give it a try, you may be pleasantly surprised.
- ‘After The Storm’ is released on Friday (25 November). You can get your copy HERE.
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