Solefald In Harmonia Universali

Sometimes you come across a band that you aren’t too familiar with and you really enjoy the uniqueness of the band, but something is holding you back from falling head over heels in love with them. This is just the case with Norway’s Solefald. The band’s latest record, "In Harmonia Universali" is almost classic, just not quite there. You see, this band only has two members. Yes, it is surprising that this amount of people can be talented enough to pull off what you hear on "In Harmonia Universali." The main thing that keeps me from loving this record is that one of the vocalists sounds absolutely horrible. That’s being as nice as I can possibly be in summarizing his vocal delivery. I don’t understand it at all when the other singer’s vocals are so tight. You’ll understand my point exactly once you hear for yourself. Musically these guys sound like Vintersorg, if you had to pigeon hole them, which I do not recommend. Add in saxophone (trumpet) to create a pleasant new sound to this melodramatic two piece. The main vocalist, who I enjoy a lot, sounds like the clean vocals delivered by Vintersorg in the band of the same name. It’s quite unfortunate that this band has chosen dual vocals. They could be an amazing band with just the main vocals. A lot of listeners aren’t going to understand this band at all and probably won’t even give them the time of day, which they so rightfully deserve. If you can make it past the lousy vocals of the backup vocalist, you’ve got yourself quite the album. The closest comparison would probably be Sigh or Fall of the Leafe. Both band’s thrive on the avantgarde and reveal something new with each listen. Bottom Line: Solefald and their album "In Harmonia Universali" are perfect compliments to your metal collection. This album takes more than a few listens to fully appreciate, but it will grow on you. There aren’t any standout tracks. They are all equally as good, although I prefer all the songs that are mainly filled with the main vocalist’s singing. Some might actually be able to see past the awful backup vocals, and for those of you out there, I tip my hat. I want to be really into this album, yet something holds me back.