With 32 active volcanos, the Nordic isle of Iceland is the land of fire and brimstone. Due to the island’s location on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, recorded history has seen numerous volcanic eruptions. Beginning in December 1975, the eruptions in Krafla in the North East of the country were one of the largest eruptions in modern Icelandic history as the series of volcanic activity continued over the course of nine years. Paying homage to that time of fiery activity and the constant threat of ash, Kröflueldar, the debut album from Icelandic black metal band ALTARI, paints an aural picture that is befitting of the force of a volcanic eruption. For guitarist and vocalist Ó.Þ. Guðjónsson, choosing to name their debut after this period goes beyond just wanting to have a powerful namesake.
“Fagradalsfjall [2021] was erupting around the time we were figuring out a name for the album. I guess that event had its influence in our decision. The Krafla series was a nine year event, and since it took me almost equally long to create this album it has its connection there,” he says before continuing to divulge why this album has been nine years in the making.
“It was many things that made the process take so long, mainly my partying that stood in the way for a long time. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing to myself at the time and thus I had developed a problem that got in the way of my music. I also had other projects that I was involved in and that took up most of my time as a musician. The time spent on it certainly had its impact on the album, whether it was good or bad is not something I think about, everything changes with time whether it is personally or musically. But for the most part I can easily track my improvement, where I am figuring out what ALTARI is.”
Although a country of just shy of 350,000 people, Iceland has a notable track record when it comes to black metal. MISÞYRMING, SVATIDAUÐI, ALMYRKVI, AUÐN, amongst countless others, the country’s proficiency for delivering top calibre black metal can go toe to toe with those from Scandinavia. And although ALTARI sit within the black metal sphere, Kröflueldar, is a multi-faceted beast with many musical layers.
“I wanted to create something that I felt was my own,” Guðjónsson explains. “The clean guitar aspect is something I stumbled on years ago, when first diving into amp simulators and recording myself. It was different combining clean and overdrive in a way that I hadn’t really heard before and it intrigued me. I never really did anything with this band as trying to be different. What I did was done for the sake of my enjoyment, and it just happens to be something different than what has come before.”
This drive to create something of his own is clear from the bands that heavily influenced Guðjónsson. BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, KILLING JOKE, INTERPOL. These bands had a huge influence on what would eventually become Kröflueldar. “Like with anything that is dubbed as influences it just bleeds naturally into your own music,” Guðjónsson says when we probe him on his musical influences.
“I have always listened heavily to BLUE ÖYSTER CULT and INTERPOL, the KILLING JOKE aspect is something K.R. [Guðmundsson, guitars] has a particular fondness for. As for the inspiration part, I felt that these bands had done something that was their own and used it expertly to their advantage. I wanted to emulate that feeling and I think I have succeeded in that. Also I recommend listening to Then Came The Last Days Of May by BLUE ÖYSTER CULT. If you’re not inspired by that song I don’t know what will.”
It may have been nine years in the making, but with Kröflueldar, ALTARI have made the wait worth it. Now joining their countrymen in a scene that consistently delivers quality, the band are ready to take the world by storm. With their debut performance at Iceland’s premier black metal festival, Ascension, now under the belts the future is looking bright indeed. As we close our time with Guðjónsson by asking what the future looks like for the ALTARI soundscape, although cryptic in his response, we cannot wait. “I don’t know how to describe the next chapter yet. It will be interesting to explore our new dynamics and work to better ourselves as musicians.”
Kröflueldar is out now via Svart Records.
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