Saga á Tveim Tungum I: Vápn Ok Viðr is the fourth full length from Árstíðir Lífsins, one of the most valuable black metal creatures to emerge in the last decade. It’s not strange to note that the Icelandic Arnii, the band’s driving force, is also part of the formidable Carpe Noctem as well as helping Marcel Dreckmann in the equally great Helrunar. The German musician reciprocates by lending his deep voice to the success of the project in which the other German Stefan also participates, in turn involved in the remarkable but long-silent Kerbenok. Let’s say right away that in this last work black metal, as we know it, is often undermined by a solemn folk soul that dominates the impact of the strongest tracks for evocative potential. In fact, at the end of listening to this splendid work it is difficult to remove from memory evocative tracks like Sundvǫrpuðir ok áraþytr, Siðar heilags brá sólar ljósi and Fregit hefk satt, which don’t break the tension but if anything charge its impact when it’s released through machine-gun blasts perfect in writing and execution like Fornjóts synir ljótir at Haddingja lands lynláðum, Morðbál á flugi ok klofin mundriða hjól or Stǫng óð gylld fyr gǫngum ræfi. After almost an hour of wonderful music comes the very long closing black doom track Haldi oss frá eldi, eilífr skapa deilir, a track that contains in its flow all the souls that pulsate within Árstíðir Lífsins. Saga á Tveim Tungum I: Vápn Ok Viðr turns out to be yet another superb work offered by this group of unique musicians, for their ability to provide black metal with a solemn and exciting aura that detaches itself for its approach both from the Scandinavian translation and from the more recent American atmospheric matrix, offering a unique stylistic figure and for this reason difficult to replicate.
2019 – Ván Records
Mournful Sounds 
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