If Norway was the epicentre of the second wave of black metal in the first half of the 1990s, then Iceland has to be the contemporary equivalent. The black metal spewing forth from this tiny island nation is so vital, fresh and varied that no other location can quite match their per capita contribution. Enter Illkynja, the newest player in this scene: an enigmatic one-man-metal project that belies its relative youth in terms of the venom injected into the music – a world-weary, scathing attitude you would expect from an older, more seasoned representative. This maturity at such a youthful stage of a musical career is nothing to belittle, though. Rather, we as black metal’s dedicated legions should celebrate Illkynja’s exuberance and enthusiasm for the music we love. Sæti Sálarinnar, Illkyn...
