From Iceland — Ókind - Hvar í Hvergilandi

Published May 19, 2006

Hvar Í Hvergilandi has a split personality. It is at times a focused, soaring and lyrically perceptive piece of apocalyptic rock blessed with the ability to veer from finely-crafted fanciness to scathing, angst-ridden forthrightness in no time flat, while at other times it seems somehow lost in its own landscape, as if Ókind is being stretched to the limit by its members’ excessive musical indulgence. Perhaps they are simply so contented with the stunning brilliance of songs like Ó, Ég, Illar Dylgjur and Hraðlestrarnámskeið that they feel entitled to push their luck with the drabness of songs like Sem Hreyfast, Verst Klædda Stjarna Ársins and Þetta Númer Er Upptekið, but, whatever the case may be, Hvar Í Hvergilandi is a winner, an unstoppable cascade of musical hedonism good enough to get away with it.