Don’t you just hate when people are like ‘I listen to a bit of everything’ or ‘when my music is on shuffle it goes from Pop to Death Metal’. I mean I get both of these statements, but the reason they annoy me is because most of the time that is the case for most people. I can tell you plenty of awful Pop that I like, I also like most genres of Metal. It doesn’t make me any more unique or different to anyone else. Anyway, rant over, today we’re talking about genres that you wouldn’t expect to be mashed together (hence my opening words), today we have a mash up of Prog, Power Metal and Death Metal, yeah, I’m intrigued.
That’s right today we talk about Metal Blade newcomers Iotunn. This genre-defying band have been around since 2015 and hail from Denmark. Their debut EP, The Wizard Falls was then released in 2017 and now in 2021 we are given the band’s full length debut Access All Worlds which reminds me in name to Random Access Memories by Daft Punk for some reason (R.I.P.). Anyway, I couldn’t wait to hear this, it’s like taking some of my favourite, most opposed sections of Metal and throwing them into a blender, but is that cause for rejoicing or disaster?
Voyage Of The Garganey I opens the album in melodic cosmic bliss. The building progression is apt for the band and once we get into the more Death Metal portion of the music it feels natural and fills you with anticipation. When the clean vocals drop it just amplifies the track even further. Huge Power Metal-like singing bursts forth in a fashion which one can only describe as a true and indeed beautiful combination of traditional Prog, Death Metal and Power Metal. The title track continues with these genre-defying themes, however it should be noted that musically there isn’t anything too outside of the box. Nothing that is so insanely Tech, personally that is what I think is lacking. Often a lot of the aforementioned genres are full of self-indulgent pontification, yet this is music seems to be designed to be enjoyed by a wide range of Metal fans. Laihem’s Golden Pits is perhaps one of the best examples of how the genres are muddled together, it’s done with great effect and whilst this surely won’t be for everyone it’s proof that clean and harsh vocals can co-exist perfectly.
Crossing the middle of the album is Waves Below another lengthy track the rests upon Prog backing, this is where I really feel like the band shine. What they lack in masses of Tech they more than make up for in sheer epic delivery. That said I do have to confess that from a personal standpoint I want more. I feel like the hooks aren’t really there and with such long songs and a lack of mad riffs I’m a touch disappointed. The Tower Of Cosmic Nihility maybe the perfect remedy to this as it is undoubtedly one of the most memorable songs on the record. It’s a great shame because this is the sort of music I’ve been waiting so long to hear, a combination of a mix of genres that are far apart from one another but I love in equal measures. The Weaver System is a reasonably strong track as well and again stops the album from becoming monotonous. The final push for the album comes in the form of Safe Across The Endless Night. This lengthy number is again of a higher calibre, in fact it would be safe to say that the album is saved just as it starts to become repetitive. This climax is certainly massive in sound and thoroughly enjoyable, that said though I do feel that there is still a little something lacking, I only hope that Iotunn can improve on future albums.
So first off, I’m glad to see another weird Death Metal-esque band on Metal Blade, Cult Of Lilith spring to mind also. However, this doesn’t quite have the full punch. Did I enjoy it? Yes, absolutely. However, would I rave about it, probably not, in fact it leaves me pretty saddened, the good parts are strong but not mind blowing and the bad parts are plain boring. I expected so much more than this, but I guess you can’t have it all. I will be watching Iotunn with great interest though, so that’s at least something.
(7/10 George Caley)
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