Almyrkvi is the name of a new Icelandic black metal project — the solo work of musician Garðar S Jónsson, who is also a member of the great Icelandic band Sinmara. The debut EP of this new project is entitled Pupil Of The Searing Maelstrom and it will be released in February on CD and 12″ vinyl by Ván Records. Today we bring you the premiere of a song from the EP named “Shrouded In Blinding Light“.
Despite its relatively small population, Iceland is already home to many excellent black metal bands, and this song proves that we must now add one more to that already impressive list. In Icelandic, “Almyrkvi” refers to a solar eclipse, but can also be understood as referring to utter darkness. The title of “Shrouded In Blinding Light” might seem to foreshadow a divergence from the concept embodied in Almyrkvi’s name, and it is indeed a multi-textured song, one that seems to hint at shining alien vistas lying in wait beyond the crushing darkness of a black hole.
The song is massively heavy, anchored by huge drumbeats and staggering riffs, yet the music also has a spectral aura, with the eerie shimmer of ambient tones swirling around both the pavement-cracking weight in the low end and the savagery of Jónsson’s harsh growls. As the song unfolds, the pace accelerates, driven by a compulsive drum rhythm and raking riffs, but the otherworldly atmosphere of the song remains, even as a sweeping melody unfolds like a cosmic panorama. It’s as if black metal has been taken to the stars, and through a wormhole to a place both terrible and beautiful
Pupil of the Searing Maelstrom includes 26 minutes of music. It was recorded, mixed, and mastered by S. Lockhart at Studio Emissary and will feature cover artwork by J. Deegan. For further release information as it becomes available, watch these spaces:
https://www.facebook.com/Almyrkvi
https://www.facebook.com/vanrecs
In addition, Almyrkvi is scheduled to perform at the Oration MMXVI festival in Reykjavík on February 19-20 alongside some of our favorite bands, including Svartidauði, Malthusian, Sinmara, and Misþyrming. For more info about the festival, go HERE.

10 Responses to “AN NCS PREMIERE: ALMYRKVI — “SHROUDED IN BLINDING LIGHT””
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Holly Hell, that’s one massive song! Combining the most forceful of the nether-worldly and the outer-worldly into… Well, something else, that’s for fucking sure.
Is Holly Hell a euphemism for Christmas?
Reply alternative 1, distinguished by ignorance: I thought it was the other way around.
Reply alternative 2, still living in bewilderment: No, you’re thinking of “Jolly Hell”
Reply alternative 3, when reality slowly dawns: Shit, I meant “Holy Hell”, I didn’t even know that “holly” was a word.
COTY, C for comment of the year
A gorgeous track 🙂
Primal Hyperspace Transcendence!
A good description. Wish I had thought of it. 🙂
It’s a journey for the mind, this song, a slow and deep immersion in its dark atmosphere brings you out of this world. This track is fantastic!
Interesting listen, especially the latter half. A good mix of ‘The Work Which Transforms God’ and modern day Blut Aus Nord.
I’m just catching up on posts at the end of the week. I read the intro, hit play, then was perusing through a few other tabs… only to stop and think “what the fuck am I playing here.. this is awesome!”