Recommendation: Lengsel - Solace

[circus_brimstone]

Recommendation: Lengsel – Solace

1. Solace
2. Revival
3. Opaque
4. Hours
5. Coat of Arms
6. Stille Dualisme
7. The World Monotone
8. Avmakt

For those unaware, Lengsel is the black metal side-project of several members of Norway’s Extol. Released back in 2000, Solace is a unique take on black metal. In this case, black metal refers to sound only and not the ideologies behind it. Anyhow, a bevy of elements alien to a large amount of BM such as clean voice, acoustic guitar, piano, etc. make this debut fascinating, especially when said elements are juxtaposed with raspy screams, spiraling riffs, and adept drumming. Particularly ambient is the medieval-like “Opaque.” In 2006, after a six-year absence, Lengsel released their sophomore album on Whirlwind Records entitled The Kiss – The Hope, which is even more experimental than Solace, but sadly not in the same league. Still inventive, it’s a jazzy, post-BM exercise with occasional Converge leanings, and is understandably quite different.

To purchase Solace, try Amazon, eBay, or Half.com. Also, I recently replaced my incredibly scratched copy with a new one, so I’ll mail my old one (still plays perfectly) at no charge to the first person who wants it. To purchase The Kiss – The Hope, I recommend The End.

Official Lengsel Website

 

[circus_brimstone]

C'mon guys. Someone say something about this, as long as you listened to it that is.

 

[J.]

im already familiar with the band, as i owned all extol and the lengsel cds about the time SOlace came out. while i preferred Burial to any of them, Solace was an interesting take on black metal. definitely more for the experimental type black metal fans.

 

[Nate The Great]

I like this. I'm not sure if I'd buy it, though.

 

[WNxScythe]

Yes this album is amazing. And I've been saying that since I registered here .

I was very let down by the latest one though, way too much hardcore influence. Sounded nothing like this gem.

The riffs are incredible, as is the use of the gypsy-like acoustic work.
I honestly don't see how this can be ignored by the black metal community... songs like Hours and Coat of Arms just scream desperation and 'evil' as much as anything else out there. Probably just because they're Christian *rolleyes* (funny how metallers always bash the mainstream for being close minded to metal's counterculture elements... but then proceed to largely ignore some of the quality Christian acts). Avmakt and Revival are probably some of the most uplifting (in a good very refreshing way) black metal songs ever penned, and they give an amazing contrast to the rest of the (very dark) album.