(written by Islander)

The Norwegian one-man band Felgrave has created a new album that could be superficially represented as the raising of three monuments. Entitled Otherlike Darknesses, it consists of three songs of towering dimensions, two of them at 18 minutes or slightly above and the third at 12 1/2.

That’s a prospect that may be daunting to consider. It boldly tests the attention spans of most listeners, and it’s a test for Felgrave as well. Although the project’s 2020 debut album A Waning Light also included much longer-than-average songs, and did so successfully, these new monuments are even bigger. The test is whether they can succeed in drawing listeners into their environs and creating enough wonders and thrills to keep those listeners from wandering away.

Some of you have already begun grading the test, because the band’s new label Transcending Obscurity Records has already debuted “Pale Flowers Under An Empty Sky,” the song that’s 12 1/2 minutes long. Today we’re premiering one of those even longer two songs, and it’s the title track — “Otherlike Darknesses” — which comes last in the running order. Continue reading »