In Vain – Solemn

The Norwegian band hit the absolute bullseye with their third album Ænigma in 2013 and since then they have released only one more album. 2018 Currents was a really good record, but it never matched the brilliance and intensity of its predecessor.

Six years down the road from it In Vain is finally ready with the follow-up. Jens Borgen once again makes sure that the layered grandiose sound is seamlessly balanced. The density of the sound never feels busy, but rather rich and even cinematic. There is power and finesse to the rich sound of this album that truly does impress.

Musically, the band hasn’t changed much. On one side In Vain’s music is based around Melodic Death/Black Metal with plenty of Progressive Metal. On the other hand, however, there is loads of good old Power Metal and Nordic Folk, especially when it comes to the melodies. And it’s perhaps those über-melodic sections and the way they are incorporated that set In Vain apart from many similar bands from Northern Europe.

One of the reasons that Currents didn’t match Ænigma was that core intensity wasn’t as impactful, but even more so that melodies, while being just as catchy, never had that sharp edge that characterized the melodic parts on that pivotal 2013 release. Some dozen spins in, the new record seems to suffer from the same syndrome. The band focuses even more on the melodies and for the most part they work really well, and their undeniable Nordic qualities are an essential part of this album. They do however lack that hard-to-point quality which gives the listener shivers up their spine.

There are noticeable portions of the record where In Vain’s devotion doesn’t match the result. Many of those bearing melodies are often too complex for their own good, and in order to property match the initial power of the music. Several of the songs also overstay their welcome by a couple of minutes.

On the other hand, Solemn is a massive record and a colossal amount of work and dedication is ever-present on it. Nothing is left to coincidences here, and the grand atmosphere of the album is matched by the band’s commitment and sense for detail. When they hit the bullseye, the result is almost paralysing, like on flawless “Eternal Waves”. The opener “Shadows Flap their Black Wings” is another example of how good this band is, as is “At the Going Down of the Sun”. Elsewhere, the band also manages to surprise, like in case of a sax, which makes you want to put it on repeat as soon as it’s finished.

Much like on the predecessor, there is so much to get into and Solemn has a lot to offer. There is an immediate quality to it, but you’ll do yourself a favour if you give the album more time and attention because some of its qualities take time to unearth. Still, the sections of the album that get your attention most on a first spin are also the strongest sections some dozen off spins in.

www.invainband.bandcamp.com/