SUPERLYNX – 4 10
LABEL: Argonauta Records
RELEASE: September 29th, 2023
AUTHOR: Paul Hutchings
01. Into The Sun
02. Cycle
03. Heavier Than Me
04. Sphinx
05. The Unknown
06. Nothing To Everything
07. Away
08. Under It’s Spell
Celebrating a decade together as a band, SUPERLYNX present their latest album “4 10”. The Norwegian trio may be relatively unknown to the mainstream, but if you are a connoisseur of the dark arts of heavy psychedelic and doom rock, you may well be familiar with the band’s heavy riffs, ethereal, haunting vocals and their ability to weave their magic around the listener.
The songs vary in length on “4 10”, with the trippy “Into The Sun” opening the album. The band’s riff heavy style is like many who play this genre, but in Pia Isaksen the band not only have a bassist who can bring the low-end, but also a singer whose enchanting voice casts a spell on you as the band slowly move through their songs. There’s plenty of repetition, such is the nature of the music, and tracks like “Cycle” work their way through the same loop whilst guitarist Daniel Bakken delivers his magic above, with some soaring lead work.
As you manoeuvre your way through this album, you’ll be struck by the sense of déjà vu, for SUPERLYNX do favour the one style. Thick, heavy riffs, melancholic vocals and a slow, sludgy pace that slips into slower parts in some songs. “Heavier Than Me” is one such track, the song reducing in tempo to a crawl, which isn’t always the most exciting. This is a song to close eyes and allow to envelope you, rather than jump around.
With themes of surrealism, deep psychedelic vibes and a seventies feel to the album, you have the choice to embrace it completely or walk on by. If you decide to immerse yourself into their world, then you are lightly to be captivated by the brooding atmosphere that SUPERLYNX can conjure. They capture that during the meandering “Sphinx”, which smoulders for a while before an incendiary finish.
There’s an Eastern feel about “The Unknown”, which winds and twists evocatively, Isaksen’s vocals adding a drone which is beguiling. It dips, soars and generally casts shadows, with the crashing percussion and drumming of Ole Teigen catching the ear as the song develops. Bakken’s echoing guitar work transports you to a place far away. This contrasts with the sinister flavours of “Nothing To Everything”, a jarring, unnerving song that creates no little discomfort as it expands. A slow, oh so slow start is followed by a repetitive riff, then haunting, echoing twangs, chilling passages of rawness and an overall sense of unease.
It’s difficult to even put this band in a specific genre. Their influences are vast, touches of different bands flash across the senses as you experience this record. Ultimately, its either going to touch the right nerves, in which case it’s the real experience, or it’s going to be switched off instantly. Journey into the dark recesses of time as you discover penultimate song “Away”, and then conclude your listening pleasure with the finale “Under It’s Spell”, a six-minute ramble that sees more fine work from Bakken to bring one of the most interesting albums of the year to an end.
WEBSITE: https://superlynxband.com
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/superlynxband
BANDCAMP: https://superlynx.bandcamp.com/album/4-10