Skur 14
Apollon, 2023
9/10
The doom metal legends Strange Horizon return with 4 dense tracks that place Kryptograf’s Eirik Arntsen behind the drum kit to fuel the sturdy riffs and progressive climate.
“The Road” opens the listen with warm, intimate acoustic guitar from frontman Stig V. Kviljo before Christer S. Lindesteg’s throbbing bass enters the thick and booming metallic rock, and “Cursed And Cast Out” follows with Arntsen’s hard hitting drums guiding the crunchy, melodic grunge rock that’s firmly harmonic.
Populating the back half is the punky, buzzing “Candles”, which spends 7+ minutes mesmerizing us with its charged rhythm section and calm versus busy bursts, and “Tusser Og Troll” exits with a bit of mystery, where cinematic moments meet haunting waves of creativity.
A listen that reminds us of Black Sabbath, Melvins or even Saint Vitus, Strange Horizon bring influences from 5 decades of thick sounds, and these 4 involved tracks make an immediate and lasting impression.
Travels well with: Castaway Hounds- Come On Down; Suburban Savages- Demagogue Days