Strigaskór nr. 42 | facebook | bandcamp |
Released on March 27, 2015 via Hellthrasher Productions
Oh Iceland… metal bands from those northern plains are always on hand to offer something ‘different’ from the norm and experimental troupe Strigaskór nr. 42 are no exception on delivery of their brilliantly quirky new album Armadillo.
Admittedly this is metal in the loosest sense of the genre as ride is laced with everything from punk rock and post-hardcore to surf and psychobilly, all underpinned by a gothic theatrical exuberance, but thankfully it’s not a disorganised jumbled mess as the rumbling circular bass guitar has been elevated in prominence to keep matters in check.
The title track kicks of proceedings with the afore mentioned bass buzzing way around off kilter up-tempo punk rock guitar riffs, which morphs into surf rock territory for the chorus. The vocals are predominately clean and in the native tongue (I assume) and also delivered in a theatrical fashion. Second track ‘Hellmut’ switches the surf for a menacing metallic groove with industrial vibes that culminates into a quirky marching band section complete with sirens.
‘Adanac’ goes back to the melodic guitars and up-tempo bass with a standard quiet/loud dynamic that contains a hint of saxophone until it takes a complete turn around with a crashing sax heavy crescendo that leads nicely into the jazzy mariachi-esque ‘Maur’ that comes across like what Shining (The Norwegian one) would sound like if Tim Burton was their song writer (AKA even more brilliant)).
All this is only the first half of the album and there is really no point explaining all the weird and wonderful directions Armadillo delves into because if by this time your interest isn’t all ready piqued and running to their Bandcamp page to listen to them in all their glory then nothing else will (and more fool you).
The only criticism I have is that it’s too short! The 10 songs on offer all clock in around the three minute mark resulting in a couple of songs and the album in general abruptly finishing just as they were gaining significant momentum… First world problems hey…
