Sólstafir
Sólstafir, icelandic for spreading rays of the sun or pencil of rays, is a metal band from Reykjavík in Iceland.
Band History
The band was created in 1994 as a side project of Aðalbjörn Tryggvason and Halldór Einarsson while they were still playing in other bands. The dissolution of these bands, the two joined in December 1994 with drummer G. Ó. Pálmason together. After about four months, they began recording the first demo recording Í Nordri who in June 1995, limited to 100 copies published and the many critics recalled Burzum.
In December of the same year, when she wanted to record another demo with six songs in a new style, they received an offer from the Czech label View Beyond Records, to which they used four of the songs for the EP Til Valhallar. The label released in August 1996 first 1,000 copies of the EP and later printed 500 copies after.
In 1999, she finally received a contract with the German label Ars Metalli Records, after which they began recording their debut album. After numerous delays and difficulties in 2002 Í Blodi Og Anda appeared (German, In blood and spirit '). Shortly after the label went bankrupt. Halldór Einarsson left at the same time the band and was replaced by Svavar Austman.
While the first two releases were to settle mainly in the area of Black and Viking Metal, they would come here for many hardcore punk elements in their music, the singing was like a now more common in the punk Shouting. Her debut received good reviews. Alex from The Metal Observer compared the album to the debut album Heart of the Ages of the Norwegian band In the Woods ....
Since shortly afterwards Sæþór Marius Sæþórsson joined as a second guitarist with the band, they took in February 2002 for the first time four of the Black Death Demo: The demo on. . Become aware through the internet on it, the label Ketzer Records, which three of the songs from the demo in cooperation with Neodawn Productions as a 7 "EP released Black Death reported: The EP was limited to 500 pieces and from the outset already sold.
By 2005, it took that Sólstafir had enough material for a new album. She then signed with Spinefarm Records. December 30, 2005 appeared Masterpiece of Bitterness. The album is musically a departure from the typical Viking Metal and is notably complex, varied and progressive. Thus, elements of doom metal, post-rock, psychedelic rock, ambient and punk are combined. Also this album was well received, it was more elaborate than its predecessor and become the harsh nature of Iceland needs.
On Köld (2009) and Svartir Sandar (2011), they developed this style further. On Köld appeared some rocky parts on which reminded the reviewers on Metal1.info to Kyuss, Svartir Sandar followed a somewhat different style, which is described as something scratchy than its predecessor, but also very varied. So the opener Ljos í Stormi begins rather melancholic, while thin ORD is aggressive and schrammelig.
2010 occurred on Sólstafir at the Wacken Open Air.
Discography
Demos
Albums
- 2002: Í Blodi og Anda ( Ars Metalli )
- 2005: Masterpiece of Bitterness ( Spikefarm Records)
- 2009: Köld ( Ranka Recordings, Spinefarm Records)
- 2011: Svartir Sandar ( Season of Mist )