Stilla - Ensamhetens andar (2014)^{Release ID: 9406}

This second full-length album from Sweden's Stilla, takes an avant-garde sound similar to the kind of things Ihsahn did on his first few solo records and forces it into a more straightforward black metal template. The resulting dichotomy makes for an original voice in the crowded BM scene. It's refreshing to hear a band doing something a little different and not just rehashing old Mayhem or Darkthrone riffs or wandering into the overcrowded realm of atmospheric BM. I must admit, I wasn't initially gripped, but give it a chance, as I think it's an album that rewards patience and just gets better with each subsequent listen as it's complexity is unravelled. It may not be completely successful 100% of the time, but credit the band for having the integrity to play music they believe in.