Ihsahn - Arktis. review
| Band: | Ihsahn |
| Album: | Arktis. |
| Style: | Extreme progressive metal |
| Release date: | April 2016 |
01. Disassembled [feat. Einar Solberg]
02. Mass Darkness [feat. Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy]
03. My Heart Is Of The North
04. South Winds
05. In The Vaults
06. Until I Too Dissolve
07. Pressure
08. Frail
09. Crooked Red Line [feat. Jørgen Munkeby]
10. Celestial Violence [feat. Einar Solberg]
11. Til Tor Ulven (Søppelsolen) [feat. Hans Herbjørnsrud] [bonus]
As the solo career of Ihsahn progressed, it seemed as though this versatile multi-instrumentalist was gradually pushing his work more and more towards bolder, unexpected territories. It was a trend that arguably started with After, and that came to a peak with Das Seelenbrechen, an ambitious voyage into dark lands of the surreal and borderline Avantgarde. As a bit of a disappointment, Arktis now comes this year from a much more accessible direction, feeling like something of a ball drop after all that progress.
The one thing noticeable immediately on Arktis is that Ihsahn appears to be going for much more of a "standard prog" type of approach than before, or at least one that's more "standard fare" when compared to some of the work that he's done previously. The first two tracks set the stage for a much more conventional, verse-chorus-verse sort of composition and almost radio-friendly type sound, yet it's a vibe that gets further reinforced throughout the album from other directions. In addition, there's a far greater presence of clean vocals here than before (see "South Winds" especially, which almost feels like an attempt at a ballad). This isn't to say that Ihsahn's harsh vocals don't also appear on this album as well, but when they do, they typically pop up right after a clean section as a sort of counter, and the end result can feel rather messy due to not having much of a transition period in between these two styles of vocal delivery (see "Celestial Violence").
The "weirdness factor" from Das Seelenbrechen (which this reviewer greatly enjoyed) has also been hushed into a state of rest with Arktis. The most it really came out for me was on "Crooked Red Line," which, with the return of the talented Jørgen Munkeby on sax, sounds like some awesome smooth jazz piece interwoven with the powerful vocals and guitars of Ihsahn. It also comes out on closer "Til For Ulven," a bizarre little number in which some (non English) spoken word is set over ambient sounds before transitioning into some dissonant guitar work and shrieks from Ihsahn towards the end. These are without a doubt the two strongest tracks of the album, but by the time they rear their heads, after one has already gone through all of the less interesting, more conventionalized tracks that precede them, their impact isn't as strong or lasting as it potentially could have been. They almost sound as if they came from a different album entirely.
If Ihsahn's goal with Arktis was to create a more accessible album that will ultimately appeal to a wider audience, he most certainly succeeded. And I suppose, if one listens to Arktis expecting something close to a modern prog metal sound, it's a pretty high quality release. But this music isn't coming from someone who was ever just about "modern prog metal." It's coming from Ihsahn. And when compared to some of his previous albums, particularly After and Das Seelenbrechen, which showed a greater will to experiment and push the envelope, it comes across as disappointing. Therefore, as someone who considers Ihsahn to be at his best when he's being innovative, I don't necessarily hate Arktis. I just don't consider it to be the best he could be doing.
 | Written on 21.05.2016 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013. |
Comments
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Comments: 59
Visited by: 390 users
| knightlightning Posts: 70 From: Spain  |
Totally disagree. That "Arktis" isn't as experimental as "Das Seelenbrechen" doesn't do it bad in my book. The quality of the songs is for me unquestionable... and to judge it considering its predecessors as the reviewer does is "imo" an error, taking into consideration that we are talking about Ihsahn who I think doesn't mind what listeners want to hear from him. What impresses me from Ihsahn is the opposite; his chamaleonic ability to do different albums but always top notch.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA  |
Written by knightlightning on 21.05.2016 at 15:02 That's fine, and if you want to look at it from that perspective, then yes, it's not a bad album. As I said in the closing paragraph here, if regarded as a representation of modern prog metal (really I think of other bands when listening to this more than I think of Ihsahn), it's really quite good. That's just not the perspective I'm looking at it from though. I'm considering this as what has come from Ihsahn after an interesting period of experimentation that I personally wanted to see him take farther. The fact that it doesn't take it farther doesn't mean it's "bad" objectively, just that I didn't enjoy it and found it rather disappointing after what came before. It is true what you point out though, I mean Ihsahn has never really struck me as someone who cares about whether or not people at large like what he's doing or not... but that's part of why this album came as such a surprise to me, because it sounds almost intentionally more accessible and conventional-sounding. But it's a good thing, I suppose, that Ihsahn is capable of manifesting himself in so many different forms. That I can respect at the very least, even if I don't really care for this particular manifestation Also, I must disagree with your "judging albums by their predecessors is an error" statement. What else can you really do if you're a fan of a certain band or musician? Someone puts new material out, and (assuming you're already familiar with their discog), you judge it on the basis of what you liked/disliked about what's come from them previously. Judging an album by itself and itself only really only works if said album is your first encounter with the artist in question. Otherwise the mind is pretty much bound to make such comparisons. I think it's pretty natural, really
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Azerethum Posts: 5 From: Greece  |
I really enjoyed this album. South Winds, In The Vaults, Frail, Celestial Violence are exceptionally good songs  Though i believe "Until I Too Dissolve" ruins the mood of the album.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Azerethum on 21.05.2016 at 15:20 I'm liking South Winds a little more. It is a bit too ballad-y for my tastes, but hell, I'm a sucker for Ihsahn's clean vocals, and they are pretty beautiful on that track. Celestial Violence isn't that bad either, but like I said, that approach of going directly to harsh vocals from clean vocals (or vice versa) just really bugs me. It's like... give us something in between so that the shift isn't so abrupt. Crooked Red Line is a much better example of that, I think. Both styles are employed, but there's at least a good period of instrumentation in between to kind of ease us from one to the other. I prefer that approach, personally
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| knightlightning Posts: 70 From: Spain |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.05.2016 at 15:15 What I wanted to say is that with Ihsahn you can't do this exercise of comparison with his other discog in the same way you can do with other bands/artists' discog because its appreciable "difference" betweem them, so I think it must be judged one by one. Of course, eveyone will have its tastes and prefer one over another, but that "difference" without quality drop is in my opinion what makes him better than other proposals. I really like all the songs from this album... also the Van Halen like Until I Too Disolve. 
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by knightlightning on 21.05.2016 at 17:33 I feel you. Like I said, I do indeed love and appreciate Ihsahn's adaptive, multifaceted personality as a musician at the end of the day, even if I'm not necessarily digging this new album as much as you and others seem to be
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Atrus Posts: 63 From: Spain |
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| Karlabos Meat and Potatos Posts: 5658 From: Brazil  |
I didn't exactly listen to too much Insahn before this... But it must be true, because I don't get any avant-garde vibe when listening to this, just regular prog.
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| flightoficarus Stamp Tramp Posts: 1112 From: USA  |
Loved this album, but to each his own. I wasn't a fan of the last one.
---- Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches. Watch metal content on the Metal Trenches YouTube Channel.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Karlabos on 21.05.2016 at 20:10 To be honest I wouldn't really call any of his work other than the previous album Avantgarde, and even then that label is debatable for that album. After was pretty weird and unique as well (probably my favorite), but it still wasn't really anything too far beyond extreme prog, albeit on Ihsahn's terms. Das Seelenbrechen though showed hints of a further push into Avantgarde territory, so I maintain: going from that to this just feels disappointing when I was hoping that that "further push" would occur. This album isn't "bad music," per se, it's just a lot more basic sounding than I would've preferred it to be
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5665 From: USA  |
I have only a passing familiarity with Ihsahn's solo stuff, and while I love After and liked Das Seelenbrechen, I suspect that I'd enjoy hearing something from Ihsahn in a more conventional prog vein. It's a little disappointing to see that score, but I'm pretty curious now, so I still look forward to spinning Arktis.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Guest on 21.05.2016 at 21:00 That's actually the only Ihsahn album I haven't yet heard, honestly. But considering it comes after After (that was fun to type) and before Das Seelenbrechen, I'm curious as to whether or not it bridges the gap between them in any way. How would you describe the overall sound?
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Alex F Slick Dick Rick Posts: 3502 From: USA  |
Totally agree that the album would have benefited from more experimentation, but still an enjoyable album to me. That being said, it's certainly one of his weaker albums.
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Posts: 3116 From: Germany  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.05.2016 at 21:13 After and Eremita tower over the rest of them. Das Seelenbrechen (not a real German word by the way) was a bit weaker for exactly the forced avant-garde stuff. Arktis i found mediocre as well but not as bad as a 6. The one really bad song, that I'm starting to take personal from him is "South Winds" for the cheap techno move that bands like Thy Catafalque or Oranssi Pazuzu have also pulled lately. No idea where that comes from but it has to go. Quick 
---- 
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by corrupt on 21.05.2016 at 22:53 Seems from some of the comments here that there are a lot of mixed feelings among Ihsahn fans about Das Seelenbrechen, especially in regards to its more experimental nature sounding... forced? I'd have to disagree with that. If anything I think this album sounds more forced than anything else he's yet done due to the fact that it sounds more basic and conventionalized than (arguably) ever before. Arktis really gives me the impression that he's trying to normalize himself into a more contemporary prog metal sound, and the end result isn't all that pretty. Different interpretations, I suppose... part of the beauty of art  Also... "cheap techno move" on South Winds? I'd assume you're referring to that cheesy synth or whatever it is that comes in at the very beginning of it. I'm unfamiliar with Thy Catafalque, but when have Oranssi Pazuzu done something like that? Not any time that I can recall 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Posts: 3116 From: Germany |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.05.2016 at 22:59 I admit to being polemic there. What I call "techno" is actually the whole lot of synth elements, electronic beats and their likes. Always hated that (except for when the Pet Shop Boys do it. I really love them <3). Oranssi Pazuzu did that on the latest album (track 4 if I'm not mistaken). I guess much of our different views stem from you seeing this album as step one in a direction. I really think you shouldn't. It as been said before, Ihsahn will be Ihsahn. He'll just drop an album on a whole new level of extreme prog next time and you'll be like "whaaaat?". But you do criticize song structures in particular here and we have seen these on many of his previous albums. If anything, Arktis is a brief visit at After's place for a drink in that regard. That's a very concrete part of you review that I can't relate to.
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| Karlabos Meat and Potatos Posts: 5658 From: Brazil |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.05.2016 at 22:59 dude... fix that. For your own good.
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by corrupt on 21.05.2016 at 23:12 I did realize that actually after publishing it, how some of the song structures I'm criticizing here have reared their heads on other albums as well. I thought about that for a second, because I don't want to be contradicting myself, and the way I see it is kind of like this. Sure they were there, but perhaps just not as developed to the point that they are here. Even though they're not necessarily my preference over other types of songwriting, I can handle a more "accessible" verse-chorus-verse type of song structure, clean, ballady-type vocals, or rapid juxtaposition between clean and harsh vocals. As long as those techniques are kept in check and counterbalanced by more interesting (in my book, of course) and unpredictable songwriting, which I don't really feel is the case here. On Arktis it just feels as though Ihsahn hit the ground running with that type of approach. You're absolutely right that some of these techniques were found on After as well, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I enjoyed After more because the deviation from that style into bolder, less familiar territory felt a lot stronger than it does here. Especially here. Or here. I'm not exactly looking purely for batshit craziness or purely for a more familiar, "normalized" sound. Balance is key, and I think that balance comes out far more on After than it does here. You're probably right though that eventually Ihsahn is going to drop something else that's far more mindblowing to me than Arktis currently is. He's a wearer of many hats
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Karlabos on 21.05.2016 at 23:13 I'm hesitant to take your advice after seeing you gave that Negura Bunget album a 6 (yes, you're going to get shit for the rest of your MS life for that), buuuuuut... ok, seems like something all the cool kids are into, so I guess it's worth a shot. Any particular album?
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Posts: 3116 From: Germany |
Written by Karlabos on 21.05.2016 at 23:13 Seeing which aspects of music he enjoys and what he's repelled by (as outlined in this review), I don't think that's good advice to him
----
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| Dark Forever Ruído Sonoro Posts: 699 From: Portugal  |
I disagree with your point of view, but the review is very well written, congrats!
---- Taste the DARK... ... and you'll live FOREVER!
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Dark Forever on 21.05.2016 at 23:42 Thanks man, I value being able to express that I dislike an album without completely losing my shit and ranting against it, so I'm happy if you think that's what was done here 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Karlabos Meat and Potatos Posts: 5658 From: Brazil |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.05.2016 at 23:38 Well Roka Hasa Radio is the magnum opus imo. But everything that came after that is good as well. The ones released before are just black metal...
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by Karlabos on 22.05.2016 at 00:33 This is Avantgarde black metal apparently, if our label on here holds any weight. Can't see why corrupt said I probably wouldn't enjoy it then, I can always go for some good Avant BM
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Posts: 3116 From: Germany |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.05.2016 at 00:41Most of his work is as simple as it gets structure-wise. The last one in particular is extremely dull, almost singularly relying on one drum beat and one to a few riffs per song. That combined with his staccato style of singing doesn't seem to be up your alley after your assessment of Arktis.
----
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by corrupt on 22.05.2016 at 01:09 Hmmm... Well I did decide to give it a go, between what you and Karlabos said, aaaaand... I'm not sure if I'm just cherypicking here and this one track isn't a good representation of the band as a whole (if it's Avantgarde, it probably isn't), but I really like this guy right here. The organ and whatever that stringed instrument is (viola? cello?) are both awesome, and the overall chord progression has a very nice, almost Latin flair to it. Very interesting. If the rest of this album follows in the vein of that track, I think I might've found something new to enjoy in my spare time
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Posts: 3116 From: Germany |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 22.05.2016 at 01:22Well, then I totally don't get what you like. That song would have been one of my examples for simple song structure and both predictable progression and harmonies. You liking that doesn't make it easier for me to understand your problems with the song structures on Arktis either. Edit: maybe you'll see what I mean when you listen to the rest of the album. Both drum beat and riff are recurring elements, making the whole thing a quite tedious one to work through.
----
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5933 From: USA |
Written by corrupt on 22.05.2016 at 01:32 Yeah, I'm listening to it in full now and am a bit less impressed. That particular track I shared was pretty interesting, but the rest is.... not bad per se, just, as you said, relatively bland and predictable. And pretty all over the place as well, which I guess is a bit understandable if it really is "Avantgarde" music, but I'm not really seeing any sort of common theme here between the tracks. It's kinda like... "find your style, man." Seems you were right, but yeah, I still do really like that track I originally shared. If there's anything else in that guy's discog that bears greater similarity to that one, I'd love to hear it.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4038 From: UK  |
Indeed, the context of this album is important, but like the first comment noted...there's not much to gain from a review - especially for someone unfamiliar with Ihsahn's discog - when it stands on the comparison of a previous record or stylistic trend. That's my opinion anyway.
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