Named for the giant volcano hidden beneath the ice cap of Mýrdalsjökull glacier in their homeland Iceland, Katla is a collaboration between multi-instrumentalist Einar Thorberg Gu∂mundsson and drummer Gu∂mundur Óli Pálmason previously of Solstifar fame.

The duo have spent some time crafting their second album, following the well-received debut “Móðurástin” in 2017. Though it does encompass a collection of nine individual songs, “Allt þetta Helvítis Myrkur” (which translates as “All This Damn Darkness” also works well as a single cinematic soundscape.

Opening track “Ast Ordum Ofar” is characterised by plodding, doomy bass notes, drenched in overdrive and layered with feedback. This gives way to a keyboard arpeggio, segueing into the more traditional percussion-driven doomy offering of “Villuljos”. Further crushing doomy passages on “Salarsvefn” are underpinned by moody synth, delving into unconventional black metal waters ala Negura Bunget towards the end of the song.

The album consists mostly of clean vocals that sound of despair, with the occasional tortured howl adding a touch of eeriness and uncertainty to proceedings. Atmospherics permeate the entire album, with a glacial wind howling throughout the twelve-minute title track to great effect.

There are Enslaved-esque flourishes of prog influence here and there, but for the most part this is a reflective and atmospheric work, with passages of Summoning style dungeon-synth and borrowed My Dying Bride melodies interwoven throughout. It’s suitably epic as we’ve come to expect from the land of ice and fire, yet I found it too wide-reaching and disjointed in places. It’s competent stuff that likely just needs a bit of refinement, so don’t expect a Jaja Ding Dong from this particular fire saga just yet.

(7/10 Doogz)

https://www.facebook.com/katla.band

https://katlaiceland.bandcamp.com/album/allt-etta-helv-tis-myrkur