Vintersorg
Solens rötter

Between 2006 and 2008, Andreas Hedlund aka Vintersorg embarked on a true musical tour de force, contributing to no less than six releases. Starting with the appearance on Borknagar's Origin album, and collaborations with Øystein Brun on parallel projects Fission (two releases) and Cronian (one). Not content, in 2007 Mr. V. took on the task of founding a new one-man project under the name Waterclime, with which he aimed to explore 1970s prog rock, releasing another two (good) albums within fifteen months. To top it off (it couldn't be missing), in 2007 he gifted us, along with his exploration companion Mattias Marklund, the sixth offspring of the mother-band. And, truly sparing nothing, he rightly thought to change his longest-standing creation once more.

Solens Rötter, the roots of the sun. It is indeed about an (apparent) return to the roots. A return to acoustic folk-like sounds and parts of classic viking metal, a much "poorer" sound, albeit played with a certain progressive attitude and exalted by excellent production and sound clarity. As if that weren't enough, everything is permeated by an orchestral breath, of trumpets, flutes, and strings. Moreover, a stable return to Swedish and abandonment of the sharper and "annoying" vocal tones. More than one thought that Andreas Hedlund's vocals were experiencing a decline, and these impressions would be confirmed by the subsequent Borknagar album, Universal. However, the return is only apparent, as mentioned, because the band continues its unique path. As evidence of this, the themes remain physics, atoms, the cosmos.

What emerges is another album of undeniable charm and musical value, but it also results in a work not too inspired compositionally. As if, with the new guise, there was an attempt to cover a decline in ideas. The tracks that truly manage to captivate are two: the opener Döpt I En Jokelsjö, and the penultimate Fran Materia Till Ande, led by epic refrains. For the rest, we face a more than sufficient work, which nonetheless does not move mountains as in the past. For example, Kosmosaik is a piece of undeniable charm, yet it proceeds rigidly and not very spontaneously (here it would help if the growl, instead of being sporadic, was entirely absent), better the fine ballad Strålar or the sparse instrumental conclusion. Good ideas that, however, are not always executed in the best way. And the growl, let us reiterate, often ruins the songs rather than embellishes them. Perhaps a clean and relaxed album like Origin would have been better (since the guidelines are dictated by the Swede's cooperation with Borknagar).

In short, something particular emerges once again, still dominated by an atmosphere that will certainly spark your curiosity. However, the idea is that at this time Mr. V.'s energy was somewhat dampened by excessive activity. Undeniably, the break did Mr. V. good, as he came back strongly in 2011 with Jordpuls.

6.5

1. Döpt I En Jökelsjö
2. Perfektionisten
3. Spirar Och Gror
4. Kosmosaik
5. Idétemplet
6. Naturens Mystär
7. Att Bygga En Ruin
8. Strålar
9. Från Materia Till Ande
10. Vad Aftonvindens Andning Viskar