Danish indie starsICEAGE, who formed in 2008 and are spearheaded by Elias Rønnenfelt released their 6th full-length, For Love Of Grace & The Hereafter, their first in 5 years, last May. It gave Rønnenfelt time to write/record/release 2 solo LPs.
The band will take the road next year to play in the US and UK/Europe.
Paste Magazine (US) writes: “It recalls the kinetic energy of their first two records but possesses the sophistication of their more recent output. Equal parts jangly and muscular,
the five-piece forge a new path while staying true to their roots.”
TUTV: The Danish indie heroes return with sonic panacherie and a sense of urgency, rockier and punkier than on predecessor Seek Shelter (still my fav one). Rønnenfelt is omnipresent, although obviously in a feverish place of his own, torn from reality at
times. Iceage fans will have their time of the year.
HIGHLIGHTS: Ember / The Weak / Salve For Every Sore / Mother-Of-Pearl / Lifetime
Band: BOARDS OF CANADA Who: Scottish electro vets, Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin, twisting
buttons since 1986. After several EPs they released their debut LP
in 1998.
The Guardian (English newspaper): “The Scottish electronic duo remain hugely influential – but their new album’s interrogation of religion is dubious, and the drum programming is worse still.”
BOC press
TUTV: After a fine atmospheric/cinematic, and panoramic start, repetition starts
to creep in, and my attention weakened. With its 79-minute length, the record is
way too long. Sure, there are some appealing pieces here and there, but overall,
the defective balance gets in the way too much.
Band: SPARTA Who: Veteran rockers from El Paso, Texas (2001–2008, 2011–2013, 2017–present).
Founding members Paul Hinojos and Tony Hajjar played also withAt The Drive-In (Hajjar still does now and then).
Kerrang says: “This new album finds mainman Jim Ward playing to his strengths, with a clutch of concise tunes that contains a few real gems. It’s an album which traces the outline of Sparta’s identity with satisfying clarity. Echoes of revered influences and peers, from Fugazi and Jawbox to AFI and Jimmy Eat World, swing by. Sixth time’s a charm, it turns out.”
📸: @visualritual
TUTV: The Texan vets don’t waste time. From the word go their energy punches holes
in the ceiling. They run and sweat like young dogs. Their post-hardcore-rock-punk engines still burn fierily. But to avoid going over the top they slow down now and then with trenchant and expressive ballads (See You Soon, Midnights and Glimmer). Rock on!
After Danish glam indies ICEAGE released their superb 5th album, titled Seek Shelter frontman Elias Bender Rønnenfelt wanted a hiatus for the band so he could do his own stuff, writing poetry and recording/releasing 2 solo LPs, Heavy Glory (2024) and Speak Daggers (2025).
Now it’s Iceage time again.
They bagged their 6th LP, baptized it FOR LOVE OF GRACE & THE HEREAFTER and
they will share it with the world on May 29th. Tracklist and pre-order info here.
Album artwork
Press info: “Across the sprawling, twelve song arc of the album, a universe of love variously expands and contracts in an eternal tango, Elias Rønnenfelt’s lyrics burn with apocalyptic intimacy while the band masterfully maneuvers within their shape-shifting scenery of feral post-punk.”
