Dynfari - Myrkurs er þörf

Angry Metal Guy 70

One of the countless awful consequences of COVID-19 has been music from artists having their releases delayed. Icelanders Dynfari were one of many victims of this. Their fifth album, Myrkurs er þörf (Darkness is Needed), originally slated for an April release, is only seeing the light of day now. For the uninitiated, Dynfari plays an organic blend of black metal and post-metal in the vein of Sólstafir and Agalloch. Their last LP, The Four Doors of the Mind, was a concept album chronicling the various human responses to profound mental trauma. More than any Dynfari album up to that point, it embraced the post-rock aesthetic, weaving together gorgeous, dream-like passages, spoken sections, and melancholic black metal. It was clean and clear, with a precise and lucid production, which impressed Grymm immensely. Some, however, felt it was a little too sterile, lacking the grit that made their other albums like Vegferð tímans so compelling. Dynfari clearly took this on board and promised a more rugged, raw recording for Myrkurs er þörf. But it’s being released to a very different world from the one in April, and it got me wondering: what effect would this have on music created pre-COVID? Has its philosophical approach to mental illness been rendered obsolete in the past six months? Or is there something here we need now more than ever?

From a songwriting perspective, this is some of the strongest material Dynfari has ever recorded and the album doesn’t waste any time getting to the good stuff. “Myrkurs er þörf” is one of the harshest, heaviest tracks Dynfari has produced in years, and it’s fantastic: thundering drumming, dense riffs, and soaring vocals combine to make music that is serious but also catchy and compelling. “Ég tortímdi sjálfum mér” shows the band in full flight—crunching guitars, emotional vocals, and a real sense of weight and momentum, mirroring Isis at its heaviest best. Myrkurs er þörf also achieves something The Four Doors could not: by the end, it finds catharsis, and just the tiniest sense of optimism; the notion that while life is unavoidably painful, suicide is not the only solution.

Myrkurs er þörf by Dynfari

The downside to this raw approach is the production, which does Myrkurs er þörf no favors whatsoever. When I first listened to this album back in April, I remember thinking it was fairly unremarkable. Time has shown that this was an incorrect assessment, but I’m not the only one who felt underwhelmed on first listen, and this is down to the poor production. Myrkurs er þörf features a much muddier, grimier mix than its predecessors, which unfortunately does Dynfari’s sound a grave disservice. The murk has the effect of homogenizing the songs (which are actually not alike), diminishing the power of the material, which should thrive on dynamism. Finale “Of Suicide Redemption” finds its melodies drowning in haze when clarity was needed to emphasize the catharsis. The overall effect of these numbs what should be exciting and enterprising tracks.

From an instrumental perspective, Örn and fellow guitarist Hjálmar Gylfason once again shine, blending together beautifully to create deceptively complex arrangements and melodies. Jón Emil’s drum production, however, is a disappointment this time. His contribution has never been flashy, but generally added stability and momentum to the tracks. Here, except for some great moments, like “Myrkurs er þörf,” his drums sound strangely flat. The mix also buries the bass, which is completely absent for long stretches. It also brings Jóhann Örn’s slightly off-tune vocals to the very front. Dynfari’s strength is its compositions, not its vocal fireworks, so this is a curious choice.

Overall, Myrkurs er þörf is a mature, thoughtful, approach to philosophical ideas about how to reconcile the absurdity of existence with the finality of death. It offers no easy answers but concludes with the idea that redemption can be found without suicide. Indeed, it gently suggests that death should be avoided for now. In this respect, it achieves a catharsis and a closure its predecessors lacked, and that COVID-19 has rendered even more relevant. The music it uses to advance its ideas is emotional, compelling, and interesting, let down only by poor production and a weird mix, which unfortunately dulls its impact. Make no mistake, though, this one deserves your time. It’s not an easy listen, but those who make the journey will find satisfying nourishment for the mind and soul.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Code666 Records
Websites: dynfari.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/dynfari
Releases Worldwide: September 18th, 2020

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