Ihsahn - Arktis.

8.3 | 341 votes |

Release date:	8 April 2016
Style:	Extreme progressive metal
Owners:	231 have it 39 want it

01. Disassembled [feat. Einar Solberg]
02. Mass Darkness [feat. Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy]
03. My Heart Is Of The North
04. South Winds
05. In The Vaults
06. Until I Too Dissolve
07. Pressure
08. Frail
09. Crooked Red Line [feat. Jørgen Munkeby]
10. Celestial Violence [feat. Einar Solberg]
11. Til Tor Ulven (Søppelsolen) [feat. Hans Herbjørnsrud] [bonus]

The Best Extreme Progressive Metal Album Of 2016

Review

Lyrics (10)

Line-up
Vegard Sverre Tveitan - vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards

Session musicians
Tobias Ørnes Andersen - drums
Robin Ognedal - guitars
Nicolay Tangen Svennæs - keyboards, organ

Guest musicians
Einar Solberg - vocals
Matthew Kiichi "Matt" Heafy - vocals
Hans Herbjørnsrud - spoken word
Jørgen Munkeby - saxophone

Additional info
The track "Til Tor Ulven (Søppelsolen)" is featured on all formats excluding regular CD: digital, vinyl, limited deluxe edition digibook, and jewelcase CD.

All music and lyrics by Ihsahn.
Recorded and produced at Mnemosyne Studio and Juke Joint Studio.
Mixed and mastered at Fascination Street Studios by Jens Bogren.
Design by Ritxi Ostáriz at ritxiostariz.com.
Photos by Fridtjof Nansen used with kind permission from The Norwegian National Library.
Recorded with support from FFUK and MFO.

Staff review by
Auntie Sahar

Rating:
6.0

As the solo career of Ihsahn progressed, it seemed as though this versatile multi-instrumentalist was gradually pushing his work more and more towards bolder, unexpected territories. It was a trend that arguably started with After, and that came to a peak with Das Seelenbrechen, an ambitious voyage into dark lands of the surreal and borderline Avantgarde. As a bit of a disappointment, Arktis now comes this year from a much more accessible direction, feeling like something of a ball drop after all that progress.

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published 21.05.2016 | Comments (59)

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tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266	Permalink 06.02.2016 - 03:13 Rating: 7 tea[m]ster Au Pays Natal Contributor Posts: 5266 Hope this is better than that last debacle of his... ---- rekt Loading...
MelancholiaC Posts: 153	Permalink +1 13.02.2016 - 19:54 Rating: 9 MelancholiaC Posts: 153 The release date has been pushed to April 8th. Ihsahn is pretty much a god in my book and for me personally it sure seems that he can do no wrong... But from what I've gathered this is definitely going to be a swerve in the other direction and not nearly as esoteric as Das Seelenbrechen. Loading...
Dave FC Posts: 199	Permalink 13.03.2016 - 12:29 Rating: 9 Dave FC Posts: 199 Less than a month! Great. What impresses me most is that two guys already have it. Come on! Loading...
Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989	Permalink 28.03.2016 - 19:24 Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 Written by MelancholiaC on 13.02.2016 at 19:54 From what I've gathered this is definitely going to be a swerve in the other direction and not nearly as esoteric as Das Seelenbrechen. I don't really know if one can ever predict that accurately with him... he's a tricky chameleon, all right. However, I do think it's been made pretty clear from After onwards that he's leaning a lot more towards prog and the Avantgarde now and further away from black metal and the extreme shit, so I wouldn't look for all that much of that on here ---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII Loading...
Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989	Permalink 31.03.2016 - 22:26 Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 Written by MelancholiaC on 13.02.2016 at 19:54 From what I've gathered this is definitely going to be a swerve in the other direction and not nearly as esoteric as Das Seelenbrechen. You are correct, this one is way more towards the prog than towards the Avantgarde, perhaps entirely prog, actually. Not quite as quirky as Das Seelenbrechen, unfortunately, but still pretty decent overall ---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 16:53 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 16:57 Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 Written by LeKiwi on 07.04.2016 at 16:53 Something that looks like a joint You hittin the leaf to this album or something, my man? ---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 17:13 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.04.2016 at 16:57 You hittin the leaf to this album or something, my man? If you zoom in really close...you'll see there's a leak xD ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 17:15 Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 Written by LeKiwi on 07.04.2016 at 17:13 If you zoom in really close...you'll see there's a leak xD So you're listening to it with this guy for company, obviously ---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 17:43 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.04.2016 at 17:15 So you're listening to it with this guy for company, obviously And this guy: ...if you catch my drift ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 21:20 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Hmm...not as satisfying as I'd hoped. As usual, there are plenty of brilliant moments, but overall I felt this wasn't as strong as any of his releases. ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Karlabos Posts: 5770	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 23:05 Karlabos Posts: 5770 Quite good, but in general nothing much. In other words, typical Ihsahn :3 ---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 07.04.2016 - 23:35 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by Karlabos on 07.04.2016 at 23:05 typical Ihsahn ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Album Release day (April 08, 2016)	Album Release day (April 08, 2016)
Joe Zombie Posts: 540	Permalink 11.04.2016 - 08:01 Joe Zombie Posts: 540 At points I love this album, and others I find underwhelming. Its not a bad album by any stretch, in fact its very good. Something is preventing me from holding this one to greatness. "Mass Darkness" is an exciting track. I wish there were more like that one. Loading...
flightoficarus Stamp Tramp Posts: 1118	Permalink 11.04.2016 - 08:50 Rating: 10 flightoficarus Stamp Tramp Posts: 1118 Freaking love this album. South Winds is brilliant. Like a black metal Radiohead meets Enslaved. ---- Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches. Watch metal content on the Metal Trenches YouTube Channel. Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 11.04.2016 - 12:19 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by Joe Zombie on 11.04.2016 at 08:01 At points I love this album, and others I find underwhelming. Its not a bad album by any stretch, in fact its very good. Something is preventing me from holding this one to greatness. "Mass Darkness" is an exciting track. I wish there were more like that one. ^ this ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Atrus Posts: 63	Permalink 13.04.2016 - 17:05 Rating: 9 Atrus Posts: 63 Excellent album Loading...
Ace Frawley The Spaceman Posts: 1459	Permalink 18.04.2016 - 05:06 Rating: 8 Ace Frawley The Spaceman Posts: 1459 I think this is a very good album. Covers a lot of territory and that's a good thing. That chrous on the opening track is so catchy and memorable. There isn't a song I don't like here. ---- The sun shines over The Fool... Loading...
Dave FC Posts: 199	Permalink 20.04.2016 - 20:44 Rating: 9 Dave FC Posts: 199 Well, i don´t know what to think about this album. It needs more spins, no doubt about it, because like Ace said, it covers a lot of territories and I am surprised with songs like South Winds with its Marilyn Manson/The Kovenant sounds; and Until I Too Dissolve with that openning riff à la George Lynch, one of my fav guitarists ever. (seriously i expected Don Dokken to start singing ha ha!). I really like this song. Frail and Celestial Violence are very good, imo. Loading...
musclassia Staff Posts: 7813	Permalink 24.04.2016 - 17:35 Rating: 8 musclassia Staff Posts: 7813 This album just goes everywhere, as mentioned above there's 80s mainstream metal in the sound of Until I too Dissolve, and some weird Manson-esque stuff in South Winds, as well as in my opinion something a bit Opeth-ish in Frail, but then weirder stuff that I expected a bit more on Pressure and others. It wasn't what I expected at all, but it's definitely one of the most enjoyable albums I've heard in 2016 so far Loading...
Mariocalin Posts: 77	Permalink 24.04.2016 - 20:28 Rating: 10 Mariocalin Posts: 77 F**king awseome ---- We are the priest of the temple of Synix Loading...
Dave FC Posts: 199	Permalink 25.04.2016 - 18:53 Rating: 9 Dave FC Posts: 199 Definitely I'm enjoying this album a lot! As much as After. Worth buying it. Loading...
visiblenoise Posts: 72	Permalink 26.04.2016 - 18:45 visiblenoise Posts: 72 I like the album a lot, but Celestial Violence (which I'm treating as the album closer, not the bonus track) was a bit of a letdown. It was way too much like new Leprous, and I wasn't a fan of their last album. If someone played me that song and told me it was a Leprous song featuring Ihsahn, I would have believed them. Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 26.04.2016 - 20:11 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by visiblenoise on 26.04.2016 at 18:45 I like the album a lot, but Celestial Violence (which I'm treating as the album closer, not the bonus track) was a bit of a letdown. It was way too much like new Leprous, and I wasn't a fan of their last album. If someone played me that song and told me it was a Leprous song featuring Ihsahn, I would have believed them. Precisely why I found it to be the best track off the album ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 27.04.2016 - 03:02 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by [user id=159927] on 27.04.2016 at 02:29 I dont like the hate on this album. i know there isn't much hate, but i think this album was fuckin perfect. Relax, there's no hate here ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Daniell _爱情_ Elite Posts: 6120	Permalink 27.04.2016 - 12:59 Daniell _爱情_ Elite Posts: 6120 Written by [user id=159927] on 27.04.2016 at 02:29 I dont like the hate on this album. i know there isn't much hate, but i think this album was fuckin perfect. I don't think it's hate. Other people may think it's not so perfect. I myself think it's a very good album, but far from perfect. Loading...
LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134	Permalink 28.04.2016 - 01:04 Rating: 8 LeKiwi High Fist Prog Posts: 4134 Written by [user id=159927] on 27.04.2016 at 23:29 there's no hate here on metalstorm, but on youtube and twitter i saw some people saying bad stuff about it Such is life - one must get accustomed to such things ---- Most Talented Vocalists In Metal Tasty Stuff Not Currently Featured On MS So I Heard You Like Opeth... Loading...
Vale Posts: 14	Permalink 04.05.2016 - 22:22 Rating: 8 Vale Posts: 14 Overall I'd say this album was really hit or miss. It starts and ends brilliantly with tracks like Mass Darkness and Celestial Violence, but it lost me in the weak middle segment, specifically from South Winds through Until I Too Dissolve. Loading...
Diverge Posts: 1334	Permalink 05.05.2016 - 00:54 Rating: 6 Diverge Posts: 1334 What a letdown. This is second-rate Ihsahn at best, and there's little that compels me to listen to this again. I greatly enjoyed his last album as well, and I'm angry he swerved towards a more boring approach with this one. Loading...
Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311	Permalink 05.05.2016 - 07:20 Rating: 7 Unhealer Eclecticist Posts: 2311 I'll only give it a 7 because of the great production, arrangements, details you can find on the songs, there's a lot of hard work there and it's pleasant to listen to that. Too bad the songs themselves are quite weak... first time I'm disappointed with post-After Ihsahn. Loading...