Reviews list for In Vain (NOR) - Solemn (2024)

It's sad when a grand discovery comes with tragedy. A month ago as of this review, vocalist/keyboardist Sindre Nedland passed away from cancer. I had just encountered his vocals for the first time that are just out of this world. RIP...

Solemn is the latest offering in the 20-year career of Norwegian blackened progressive death metal band In Vain, and it's a monolith of triumph! The compositional writing is so unique and diverse. Besides the now-gone-from-the-band vocal duo of Sindre Nedland and Andreas Frigstad, guitarist Johnar Håland shines with his epic guitarwork. And the other half of the band also have the talent to help make this powerful masterpiece.

"Shadows Flap Their Black Wings" bursts in with riffing energy and deathly growls in the verses. Then the chorus drifts through clean melody in the guitar leads and singing. "To the Gallows" has extreme aggression in the music and vocals, while the cleans are still around to balance out the strength. A melodic calm surrounding the heavy storm! Then "Season of Unrest" has some slow bass in the verses while marching into both heaviness and melody. With deathly darkness comes melodic light, again proven in the music and lyrics. I love the beautiful bridge that comes with saxophone similar to the Norwegian Shining.

"At the Going Down of the Sun" is long, strong, and symphonic, once again including a melodic chorus in this otherwise dark heavy structure. "Where the Winds Meet" is where the two sides greatly battle it all out. The wall between the two sides is penetrated by the aggression from one side and the melody from the other, before the wall breaks down in a towering chorus. "Beyond the Pale" has more of the heaviness and growls before the fantastic guitar melodies and clean vocals soar through the skies.

"Blood Makes the Grass Grow" is the only track that's under 6 minutes and continues to blend the extreme and clean sides well. "Eternal Waves" has more melody rising from the dark ashes, moving things along in the chorus and bridge. "Watch for Me on the Mountain" is a strong clean swansong for the blissful harmonies of Sindre. Again, RIP...

Solemn is an epic progressive journey to help tear down the walls of conventionality. Deathly riffs and beautiful melodies make an intense blend of power and thunder. The fire and fury is brightened by melody and harmony and clean choruses soar through. Growls and cleans battle each other then make peace for coexistence. For anyone wanting a gem that's both ethereal and brutal at the same time, this is your Solemn hour!

Favorites: "To the Gallows", "Season of Unrest", "Where the Winds Meet", "Beyond the Pale", "Watch for Me on the Mountain"

The most recent album from Nordic progressive death metallers In Vain is quite the variety of sounds isn't it? While the album certainly retains its progressive tag throughout the hour runtime, the directions it takes to get there is quite varied. I really enjoyed the inclusion of a full brass section during the the albums highlight moments, such as "Eternal Waves" and "Shadows Flap their Black Wings". For an album that uses such a booming foundation, In Vain are not scared to embellish Solemn with bright/sharp tones; it gives the album a sense of direction that is not as dominant on other similar sounding death metal albums. The vocal styles change on a whim from Steven Wilson-esque hushed vocals, towering Einar Solberg cleans (complete with harmonic counterpoint), then alternating the rest of the time between low death gutturals and the occasional death metal screech. This all sounds like a lot to digest when you see it written down on a screen, but I promise that it is not as difficult of an album than I am describing it. In Vain have a skill of developing their foundation instead of becoming a new band on every track. It is also helped by the record not being quite extreme. At its core, Solemn is a death doom album with the occasional blast beat and tremolo guitar riff. This is what you might get if Wilderun and early Katatonia had a baby. The technique is solid too; granted the production might have a couple of minor hiccups here and there, Solemn remains incredibly consistent with its sound engineering. If anything, I think that the guitar harmonies might be a little too subdued throughout. I'm surprised it took me as long as it did to come around on this record, but I'm sure glad I did.

Best Songs: Shadows Flap their Black Wings, Season of Unrest, At the Going Down of the Sun, Beyond the Pale, Eternal Waves