“Why do you listen to this crap? It’s just screaming anyway.” While the general public may not ever really grasp heavy metal and it’s wildly diverse subgenres, there’s a growing number of acts who have taken a more sociological and human approach to lyricism in more modern times instead of just trying to come up with more lyrics about the universe or bloody gore (not that there’s anything wrong with those, of course). Svalbard have been a band about providing voice to the socio- and political themes of our times, but with their newest album, The Weight of the Mask, the band decided to take a look inwards and it turns out it has provided an entirely different but certainly equally important voice. That voice being a genuine understanding of what it’s like to live with depression. No sugar-coating it, no metaphors, it’s all just laid out on the table.
Many acts (though certainly not all) have settled for metaphors and well-crafted illusions to showcase depression, but Svalbard instead goes right to the heart of the matter with straight-forward simplicity. This is an utterly raw, and unflinchingly real look at what depression looks like, and as you might guess, it’s not pretty. There’s no subtlety to lines in “Faking It,” like, “It’s weird to know I wasn’t happy; That’s just how I made it seem; An illusion of positivity,” there’s just starkly bleak reality. While some might look and see genuine darkness, there’s a layer of relatability here for anyone who has ever felt that way. So to that end, it’s just beautifully sad.
While it’s incredibly impressive what vocalist/guitarist Serena Cherry has done with writing such emotive and powerful lyrics, quite frankly it wouldn’t matter if the music behind it wasn’t up to snuff. Thankfully, this is where the band really justifies the hype that these lyrics have provided them. In comparison to the very sullen lyrics, the music itself all but soars out of the speakers. There’s an incredible juxtaposition of the lyrics with these absolutely gorgeous guitar melodies that do nothing if not uplift your body with all their might. “Pillar in the Sand” opens with some quiet guitar and clean singing, building itself up over its runtime into a heavier, and cathartic sounding beast. Floating riffs and piercing screams hit with an urgency and almost thrilling positivity, to the likes of which post-metal hasn’t flexed in quite some time. The melodies on “Defiance” all but yearn for the light, while crashing drums and ethereal sounding vocals hit a masterful sweet spot. On the opposing end, there’s the very mellow “How to Swim Down,” which never hits the distorted guitars or screaming, yet pulls you into an imaginative dreamscape – but fair warning if you watch the video, you will cry. It’s very poignant and fits the mood of the song to a tee.
Svalbard’s fourth full-length is a heavy listen, in all senses of the word. It might not be easy at times, lyrically, but the backing music offers a contrasting hope and sheer power that’s bound to win people over looking for something that’s both gorgeous and somber. The Weight of the Mask offers an incredibly authentic, first-hand look at depression that Cherry deserves some kudos for in being so open, and it’s bound to leave a lasting feeling inside listeners. Perhaps it can even build some empathy for those who have never been afflicted with it in addition to the comradery it provides for those who have battled with it or had their lives touched in it in some way.