I am sure that many human beings did look forward to this release: the newest effort by Swedish project Sophia. It’s a ‘product’ from the almighty Cold Meat Industry family, and related to Cyclic Law for some time as well.
Arcana’s Peter Bjärgö (Peter Pettersson) (one of the many bands or projects he’s in; also active within the Metal scene or great acts like Onus or Karjalan Sissit) joined forces once more with his long-time life-partner Cecilia ‘Ia’ Bjärgö, Per Åhlund and Stefan Eriksson in order to create this new album, The Age Of The Narcissist. It’s a manifest against the narrow-mindedness, ignorance and arrogance of the human kind in relationship with Mater Terra, Mother Nature, and societal affinity. The recording sessions were done live, ‘every track began from scratch, evolving through hours of meticulous tweaking of electronics, testing various effect pedals, and layering sounds’ (quote from the bio). Peter and co took their time to perfect the result, which might be a new, or renewed, step within their majestic curriculum vitae. Taking elements from the past, injecting it with new ideas, the result marks a new chapter, yet at the same time it is a very recognizable highlight once more.
Since this album was released almost half a year ago, I will keep it short, for the die-hard ‘fans’ will probably know this material already. Yet in case you haven’t had the chance yet, I am glad to introduce you, even-though short, to The Age Of The Narcissist. What a great title, by the way, totally fitting the concept (and so are the song titles!).
The known belligerent approach, with martial drum beats and darkened, dictating vocals, and the industrial elements of old, through wroth synth melodies and eclectic sound effects, get meticulously canalised into majestic, abundant symphonies of exquisite composing and performing techniques. The tracks come with a monumental harshness, condemning the fair beauty of Arcana or the ethereal ritualism of Onus. This is combative and intolerant militarism, uncompromising yet still delicate and enthralling. The war-styled execution comes with captivating yet militant electronics and the aforementioned martial-tribal beats and dominant male voices, but there are some other highly interesting injections and stylistically idiomatic ideas, like ritualistic additions, whispers (for example in the otherworldly hymn Dogmatic), some harsher noises (the bio mentions the use of ‘unconventional instruments’ too), and more. The bombastic orchestrations of the former works are, then again, less prominently represented.
I won’t analyse every single epic on this album, but rather focus on a handful of remarkable moments and elevated details. Mouth Of Mammon, for instance, comes with an intentionally aesthetic approach that caresses the borders of IDM / New Age aligned calibre. The female voice in What’s Wrong With People, then again, reminds me of Regiment VX (and singer Carlotta Loth), going for both the timbre as well as the message of serenity and sweetness (mind the manipulated reverberations and the occult-Oriental setting and instrumentation!). It’s a remarkable, maybe even risky business, but I think it does fortify the intended effect of indignation and fury. Also in Close To The Grave the female vocals (and so are the male ones) are at least ‘different’ from the familiar timbre. A composition like Eyes For An Eye even introduces victorious Nordic Folk-styled details though the use of shamanistic drum patterns, epic sound-effects and these dreadnaught chants (with, somehow, a hint of Heilung or Wardruna).
The album represents a soundtrack that accompanies a dystopian landscape, through temerarious and pugnacious rhythms, through the pounding percussion-work and the increased injection of industrialised components, through the deviant structures and the mystic and esoteric, yet also ireful ambience. It opens a next portal towards (and into) the immense realm of Sophia’s own-styled and ever-developing dimension.
Besides a digital possibility, there are three physical editions. There’s the compact-disc, which is an eight-panel digipack, as well as two pressings on vinyl: a standard-black version and, little more limited, one with a marbled brown-black image (both with inner sleeve). Mind the grandiose cover artwork!
https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com/album/the-age-of-the-narcissist
https://www.cycliclaw.com/music/sophia-the-age-of-the-narcissist-cd-lp-dl-264th-cycle
https://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/sophia