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Solefald. There's a name you don't hear very often in the circles of the black metal elite. Hell, you don't hear much about them in ANY circle, even though their music is simply brilliant. Why? Too "weird" for most metal fans. It takes a very open mind to accept Solefald's art, and most metal fans don't have that. Most of them are simply stuck within certain genres of metal and scowl at any band that tries anything remotely different, while others will simply dismiss it for being too ambitious for its own good.

And "weird" is the key word with Solefald. To try and sum it all up for you, the band is composed of two guys (Lazare and Cornelius) who play all the instruments on the album. The music is an amalgam of genres: black metal with some technical tinges to it, punk, trip hop, rap (although not in the "Yo.. Uh-huh... Werd up mah nigga homiez in da house" sense, more of a "slam-style" spoken word) and even a bit of classical influence, as shown by some of the piano interludes. The vocals themselves are a mix between black metal screeches, normal sung voice and the aforementioned "rapped" spoken word. Both Lazare and Cornelius sing, most of the time in unison, bringing a very unique feel to the music.

Also of note are the lyrics. At first, they may seem just nonsensical words strung together, but once you spend some time with them you'll slowly understand their caustic look on human nature and the materialism inherent in it, with all the hostility and alienation it breeds within. Needless to say, the lyrics are easily as ambitious as the music, if not more so.

Overall, Neonism is a very fine piece of music. Some, this reviewer included, might even go as far as to call it a masterpiece of vast proportions, one which slightly surpasses even the dark masters of the Weird themselves, Arcturus. It is a very complex piece of music, one which you will not be able to fully absorb even after the 10th repeated listen. It will require lots of time to sink in. However, when it does, you will be rewarded with one of the most unique albums in metal history.

Review by: Smekermann

This is astounding black-avantgarde mixture !
Black vocals are perfectly combinated with clean vocals
and keyboards are amazing. Probably best Solefald album.
If you like black metal and you are open-minded you will love
this! It take some time to get into, but then...
However I heard more then 500 black and avantgarde bands
this album is in my top 10! Very refined and sophisticated
piece. If U like bands like Arcturus etc. you must get this!
Total masterpiece U must listen every day!

My rating is: 9,7 out of 10 (and I am strict reviewer!)

Review by: unholypagan

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