'Kveikur' rocks harder than its pronunciation

Upon the arrival of Icelandic band Sigur Rós’ new album “Kveikur,” the group described the sound as “aggressive.” The opening track “Brennisteinn” comes thrashing out of the gate with heavy, reverberating guitar, living up to the knighted description. The title track “Kveikur” follows suit with thunderous drums and guitar, while leaving behind the usual falsettos the band has perfected. They have been known to describe themselves as a metal band, despite singing up to 8-minute songs in Icelandic and sometimes made-up words. It sounds as though they have finally produced an album to credit their identity.

However, as the heavier tones continue throughout the album, the soft orchestrations and dreamy falsettos from tracks “Hrafntinna” and “Var” provide juxtaposition. “Hrafntinna” adds a slew of horns and bells into the mix, giving the song an extra kick. “Var” is the archetypical Sigur Rós track. It’s a 3:43 song of pure piano that brings the band back to the sound fans are used to hearing. It bears a strong resemblance to the track “Andvari” on 2005’s “Takk” album, a dreamy piece that could easily put you to sleep in the most flattering way possible.

Kveikur is a natural evolution for the band’s sound and structure. They lost keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson and signed with a new label. This instant metamorphosis has resulted in a group that commands its craft and sound into an album of churning, heavy tones while incorporating ethereal pop slivers, giving a wide array of bands a run for their money.