Norksa is one of those rare bands that had, up until just now, built up a potent cult following based off of the strength of an EP and a split. I've been waiting since their self titled 2011 debut for this band to explore their dynamic, weird and powerful sound in a full length and now I have it blasting out of my speakers. There's a surreal magic to their latest offering, Too Many Winters which blends together a variety of genres into a frequently chaotic, often overwhelming and always triumphant release that can't help but to mesmerize the listener.
While Norska certainly remains primarily a doom and sludge band Too Many Winters sees them pushing far beyond their traditional purview, bringing in elements of black metal, prog metal and even a little math rock into the fold. While some of these elements were certainly there previously I think that a lot of the jazziness wasn't quite so obvious on previous releases. This record is unafraid to dart all over the place and encourages the listener to pull apart weird nooks and crannies to uncover what the band is truly capable of. The production is rich and their is simply so much going on that it's impossible to full understand this album with only a few listens.
Too Many Winters is a fascinating listen and a look into the cutting edge of what extreme metal can be. Norska have been something of a myth in the metal scene for a long time now, especially with bassist Aaron Rieseberg being in Yob. They cut beyond the bullshit though with Too Many Winters driving into exciting new spaces for the genre to expand and reminding us why the band is such a legend in the first place. While this is certainly a challenging listen it's one you are going to want to come back too!
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https://www.facebook.com/norksarock/
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