Known for their Icelandic Heathen Metal, SÓLSTAFIR have long been one of my favourite atmospheric bands, perfect for listening to when you just want to relax and forget the world. Their latest album, "Ótta" is no exception; coming out this week in Europe, available as Digibox with bonus CD, jewel case CD, and gatefold Double LPs in various colours, this album is positively dripping with SÓLSTAFIR's unique sound, and delivers exactly what fans have been so eagerly anticipating.

The concept behind this album is interesting, drawing on an antique time-keeping custom in which each day was divided into eight three-hour segments. The first track "Lágnætti", translated to "low night", begins the new day at midnight, with each song following the course of the diurnal rhythm, before ending with "night time" being epitomised by the final track, "Náttmál". This coarse division of time, in which there is no frenetical counting of seconds, sees a much more placid and sedate progression through the day, and this serenity has been perfectly encapsulated by the album. Following the course of the sun, "Ótta" starts out gently but growing increasingly intense, with the fervour peaking with the mid-day sun around "Miðdegi", after which the blazing heat starts to die down, morphing into the star-studded splendour of the night, before fading out with "Náttmál". This unfolding is not only seen in the instrumental sections, but also in the vocals, which rise and fall with the glory of the sun and moon. The oft minimalistic approach taken by the guitars and drums provide the backbone for the tapestry of emotions that are woven into each composition through the different elements. Taking the listener on a journey that ranges from the depths of the most chagrined melancholy to blissful optimism, "Ótta" incorporates moments of searing beauty with subtle infusions of maudlin gloom that lends the music a bitter-sweet feel.

Overall, a thought-provoking release, which leads one to question the current way in which we see time; it transports us to a place in which time is something to be enjoyed, not to be raced against. With a total of eight tracks which last just under one hour, "Ótta" forges onwards on the Icelandic path. If you enjoyed "Svartir Sandar", chances are you will love "Ótta"; its gripping melodies will draw you in and mesmerize you. There is only one word for this masterpiece: stunning!