Atmospheric black metal is all about balance. If it’s too grainy and stripped down, it can feel like something is missing. On the contrary, if too lush, the required level of bite and tension is lost. These elements are even more important when going the instrumental route, as there’s an even keener focus on said instrumentation with the lack of vocals to blend together with. Icelandic project Óreiða has gone down this route, and lone member Þórir G. Jónsson has been busy, releasing three albums in four years. Beginning with the self-titled debut in 2019, it was followed up with Nóttin last year, and finally we have The Eternal.
Something to keep in mind when listening to an instrumental atmospheric project is that it’s all about the overarching aura created, and not as much about quick, speedy, or punchy moments. There’s a build, a weightiness, and a palpable tension, bringing the listener along for a journey. The debut full-length felt like it was missing that epic build, and was more full-on assault than it needed to be. Nóttin was a step in the right direction, though nearly too grainy, and there was still much to discover yet. It left one feeling as if Jónsson was on the precipice of a special work, but we just hadn’t gotten to it yet. The Eternal contains a very personal narrative, involving Jónsson’s own relationship with nature and the universe, while also being inspired by Albert Camus’ vision of The Myth of Sisyphus, where Sisyphus was doomed to repeat pushing a boulder up a mountain only to continuously fail at the end of the journey.
With all of the framework in place, has the music caught up with Jónsson’s vision? To this writer, it’s an absolute step up, easily being Óreiða’s best release of the project’s still young existence. The Eternal is broken up into five chapters, each documenting steps of the arduous journey depicted. “The Path” begins with a buzzsaw riff that morphs into a more restrained lead piece, lightly accented with synths that provide the right level of ambiance. The guitars are absolutely the focus here, as has always been with Óreiða, but the songwriting has taken a massive leap up the proverbial mountain; slow builds that entice the listener, and tense moments that build at the right pace.
Tracks like “The River” include ambient interludes that are minimalistic in a beautiful way, utilizing light synths weaved with acoustic guitars to accent the more chaotic, heavier portions. “The Climb” is the most intense track, with the riffs and leads changing slightly as the song moves forward, with each twist resulting in more and more urgency. Meanwhile, “The Apex” contains the most memorable lead on The Eternal, evolving into a slower, blackened ambient entry, while closer and title track “The Eternal” emits a reflectiveness with fervent tremolos and several mood and tempo changes. One must also highlight the production work, as this important element has been drastically improved upon compared to Óreiða’s previous works. No loss of fire or impact of the buzzing guitars that make up much of these compositions, but a vastly improved level of balance and clarity is present, which wasn’t there to this degree in the past.
The Eternal isn’t a perfect instrumental black metal album; at times it’d be good to hear the drum work a bit more prominently, as there are some hidden gems within that instrument that don’t get as much prominence. Nitpicking aside, however, this is an impactful piece of music that is best taken in as a whole, with the guitar work taking the front seat, exuding carefully crafted and nuanced atmospheres that are a delight to take in on a cloudy, quiet evening. The Eternal is definitively Óreiða’s best thus far, taking the listener through an emotive and painstaking journey that reflects many of the struggles one encounters throughout their lives. Though we feel as if there’s much more to come from this ever intriguing project, Jónsson has realized a large amount of that potential that was evident from the start. Enter with an open mind, enjoy, and keep a close eye on this one.