Isole – Anesidora
Release Date: 10th March 2023
Label: Hammerheart Records
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Genre: Epic Doom Metal
FFO: Anathema, While Heaven Wept, Ereb Altor, Candlemass, Opeth.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
Let’s take a moment to recognize Sweden for spawning some seriously amazing metal. Their place in the metal world cannot be disputed. If you are not familiar with Isole, be prepared to add them to your list of Swedes whose work should grace your music collection. These gents started their journey in 1990 under the name Forlorn. In 2003, they decided it was time for a change and Isole was born. The quartet consists of Daniel Brynste and Crister Olsson on guitars, Jimmy Mattsson on bass, and Victor Parri on drums. Vocals are primarily handled by Brynste with accompaniment by Olsson as a clean vocal counterpart and Mattsson adding harsh vocals on occasion. Anesidora is the band’s 8th album; their chemistry is obvious throughout, and they still have it going on, several decades into their career.
Anesidora presents listeners with beautifully crafted songs. Overall, the album treads into soundscapes of doom, but there are moments of clarity and warmth that shine forth like sunlight beaming through a miserable sky. If we look at this work as a journey, we will travel across tumultuous seas, wander through wastelands, and eventually ascend to a higher level with triumph. Anesidora captures the essence of the human experience; the interplay between dark and light with areas of grey in between is extraordinary. Churning rhythm underpins the work and adds a depth that really makes the tone of the guitars stand out. The solos on this album are fantastic; precise, but with a dash of looseness scattered about for good measure. Brynste has been lauded for his vocal abilities which are consistently gorgeous, at times operatic, and always meld seamlessly with the music. Lyrically this is an album of thoughtful introspection which makes the delivery all the more powerful.
Typically, I am not of ultra clean production; it doesn’t feel organic and, ultimately, I am fine without everything being crystal clear. Although the production on Anesidora is clean, it is not obnoxiously so. There is still warmth in listening to this album. From a production standpoint, though, at times the snare sounds a bit flat. That’s the only beef I have with this work. If tomorrow Isole decided to cash in their chips and call it a day, they would end on a high note. Let’s hope that isn’t the case, though.
(4.5 / 5)
