Release date: 22nd June 2018
Okay, I’ll admit it – this band only caught my interest due to their name, due to me being a fan of the pagan black metal band called Árstíðir lífsins. However, I am so glad they did because I have fallen in love with this incredibly talented band. It’s very difficult to classify them into a specific genre, but it’s perhaps safe to say they fall under the folk ‘umbrella’.
Pure and simple, Nivalis is just a very beautiful piece of work, and as the first couple of tracks are amongst the strongest of the album, it really leaves an impression on you right away. Lover is a very moving and emotive track, with a lot of passion to the performance from both the vocals and instrumentation, and Please Help Me has a slightly darker vibe with a serious earworm of a chorus that you can’t help but want to sing along to.
The only real fault with the album is that it does feel a little on the lengthy side. Thirteen tracks does seem to be a little too many and whilst there aren’t any bad tracks, it means that some of the songs don’t quite get their time to shine due to getting a little lost in the main bulk of the piece.
All in all, Nivalis is an album you need to listen to. Albums like this don’t come along often, so make sure you get involved.
9.5/10
