Svalbard - ‘The Weight of the Mask’ review
Svalbard
Svalbard was one of the first bands I saw when live music started returning to stages. That was Bloodstock 2021, and felt like a very different band to Svalbard of today. The Weight of the Mask dropped via Nuclear Blast on 6 October. Here’s what we thought:
Fans are already familiar with the start of the album, it's been on Spotify since July. That said, 'Faking It' has the potential to be the track of Svalbard's career. The group has always had its niche, and this works that niche to a tee. The melody on the guitar is great, the post-hardcore drumbeat, and the vocals would make certain "cvlt" black metal artists sweat. It's like an explosion, and there's just nothing wrong with it. The duelling vocal styles have always been a good selling point of the band, but here they are perfect.
'Eternal Spirits' is the other track that's had time to marinate with the fans. Dropped as the first Svalbard track since 2020 back in Feb, you might argue this is the standout track of the two. Serena Cherry & Liam Phelan enter a performance of equal vocal standard, but the instrumentals are way more crushing. Both tracks have performed very well in that time, and 'Spirits' has a minute lead at the time of writing. It has also featured live since March, and the finished product on the album seems to have benefitted.
Our first taste of brand new content from Svalbard is in 'Defiance’. This track in particular is a standout one for Mark Lilley on drums, with some blistering work from him. Even at shy of 6 minutes, this feels like a burst of speed from the group.
The transition of this to 'November' was a strange one, as it starts with a lot more of the style people know Svalbard for. The title alone suggests something more personal developed in this song. Serena starts off softer, with spoken-word vocals, before transitioning into the powerful instrumentals they have on tap in this release. One of the standout features of this album is the emotional depth conveyed through both the music and the lyrics. That is something that's best shared between 'November' and the song that follows it.
'Lights Out' is a hurricane of everything "Svalbard", where 'November' begins to fade out, and this bursts right back in. This has a brilliant melody but was heavy by the bucket. Serena and Liam interchange well, and it changes speeds in a way that borders on existential. Having a track this dynamic at the midpoint of the album feels like an experience.
There's a strange melancholy brought into things by having 'How to Swim Down' as the next track. Available on Spotify since August, the familiarity of this song helps the album flow. The latter half of 'Lights Out' as well as how this starts slows things down a lot. While all Svalbard's music is emotional, this section feels haunting, but cathartic. That may be a very on-the-nose thing to say about a song with the main hook "I Will Heal You", but it's done right. 'Be My Tomb', by comparison, does an excellent bait-and-switch of sounding like a pure post-hardcore track, before tying in all the other aspects Svalbard have in their arsenal. Misdirection in the title makes it seem like this will be the most on the nose, dark track, of the album. The subtle addition in the lyric "Please don't let this 'Be My Tomb'", is an embrace of people's struggle. The track is still raw and passionate, still has that personal essence, but has hope. Different vocals and this could be A Day To Remember, and yet it's not out of place.
'Pillar In The Sand' continued that sense of reprieve and catharsis. It was between this and 'Lights Out' for my favourite track of the release. Again, this is a great deal lighter, and a great show of Serena's singing chops (in case you forgot). Not to sound cliche, but the album feels like a journey, the lyric "I sigh relief and I feel safe" brought some odd equal sense of relief with it. Not to get carried away with the storytelling aspect of 'Pillar in the Sand' it has a lot of musical prowess as well. Intricate guitar work, powerful drumming, and a powerful vocal make this an impactful way to start rounding out the album. That said, the expression is "Don't let the door hit you on the way out". 'To Wilt Beneath The Weight' hits you on the way out. With lyrics full of weariness, anger, and questioning "How much will it cost to persevere?" The last six minutes of this album is a heavy and melodic run-through of all the documented pain again.
One thing mentioned at the start of this review was that I saw Svalbard at Bloodstock 2021. At the time, they were not my cup of tea. I now have a much different opinion. The Weight of The Mask is excellent.
Svalbard's The Weight of The Mask has a seamless blend of elements from post-hardcore, black metal, and more. A lot of times bands will mess with styles to show off, this isn't doing that. It's different styles with a powerful message, exceptional musicianship, and emotional weight. This is good music, and it's honest. This is another case of a band running with Lewis Johns as a producer and not missing a single shot.
The Weight of The Mask from Svalbard is out now via Nuclear Blast and available on all good streaming platforms.