Not many bands can claim to have a 4.5 from AMG Himself and a 4.0 from notorious curmudgeon, Grier. Yet that is exactly what Swedish black metal band, Istapp (Icicle) managed to achieve with debut album, Blekinge, and third album, The Insidious Star, respectively. Yet despite these glowing endorsements, Istapp remained on the periphery of the metal scene since their inception in 2005. Maybe it’s the long turnaround time between albums (4 in 20 years), or perhaps it’s the constantly shifting band line-up. Whatever the reason, Istapp remained relatively obscure, producing albums that people like, but that don’t make any dents in end-of-year lists. Now they’re back after a 6-year gap, with (surprise!) a new lineup and a new album, Sól Tér Sortna (The Sun Turns Dark). Are they about to add a Doom 4.0 to their accolades?
Pretty much the only constant in Istapp is founder, songwriter, and vocalist-turned-drummer, Fjalar. And when the opening notes of “Under Jökelisen” begin, you’ll know this is a classic Istapp album, through and through. Melodic chords married to furious blast beats in a way that is both compelling and accessible (by black metal standards). But it’s when the clean vocals hit that the true power of Istapp shines – the ability to incorporate more accessible elements without compromising their core ethos. Istapp manage to sound like a cool mix of Borknagar, Immortal, and Svavelvinter, without ever treading onto “derivative” territory. If this description of Sól Tér Sortna sounds eerily familiar to previous albums, that’s because Istapp maintain the clear, distinctive sound that they’ve perfected since 2005.
And yet, for some reason, Sól Tér Sortna just doesn’t hit as hard as those previous albums. And I’ve spent a week trying to puzzle out why. Certainly, when a sound remains unchanged for this long, we start entering “diminishing returns” territory. Istapp are playing it very safe with their aesthetic, and when you become familiar with it, it all starts to blur together. This isn’t helped by the fact that this collection lacks a real banger; something that grabs you by the short and curlys and says, “Listen! This is more interesting than that random chore you are doing!” When the band does try something new, like the introduction of female vocals on “Rägnarok,” it works fantastically, making you wish they had taken a few more risks. The songs on Sól Tér Sortna are consistently very good, but rarely great.
The production, as consistent as it is, also sounds weirdly thin. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a chonkiness missing from the guitars. This anemic mix leeches the album of some of its power. Istapp always flourished by relying on those “big” moments in their material; the flattened range makes everything sound a bit tinny and flat. For comparison, I went back to early Immortal, and while the production in those days was clearly inferior, there is real oomph behind the guitars. Even The Insidious Star sounded better balanced. I’m not certain if this production was intentional or not, but it doesn’t help the music.
Sól Tér Sortna is an album I really wanted to love, but although its catchy melodies and solid songwriting initially seduced me, I could never firmly commit. It’s a collection that, although never difficult to listen to, is missing something. This is speculation, but perhaps the constant lineup shifts have prevented Fjalar from evolving his brand. Perhaps this is simply the AMG “Law of Diminishing Returns” proving itself again as a band enters its third decade. Or maybe I expected too much from a band that has given us plenty to cheer about in the past. Regardless, Sól Tér Sortna, while rock-solid, simply doesn’t hit like other Istapp material. As a result, it eludes the unqualified Doom stamp of approval.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: trollzorn.de/en
Websites: istappofficial.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/IstappOfficial
Releases Worldwide: March 6th, 2025
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