Vildhjarta Gift Progressive Metal/thall Fans The Huge And Haunting '+ kristallfågel +'

Sweden's masters of all things down-tuned and rhythmically violent, Vildhjarta have bookended their consistent 2023 with another fantastic piece of music, the powerful '+ kristallfågel +'.Having released two amazing new songs earlier in the year - '+ den spanska känslan +' and '+ ylva +', ' + kristallfågel +' marks the third, and surely last, standalone single from the four piece in 2023. '+ kristallfågel +' - 'crystal angel' in English - carries all the group's signature hallmarks - lurching rhythms, staccato riffs, ambient background layers, but it's the usage of clean vocals that sets the tune apart from it's recently dropped brethren, making it one of Vildhjarta's more melodic compositions to date.

Produced in-house as usual, the track's enormous mix was helmed by drummer/bassist Buster Oldeholm - a highly talented individual on the rise thanks also to his other projects Humanity's Last Breath and Thrown, on top of his additional production/engineering work (Born of Osiris/Oceano/Currents).

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With Vildhjarta's last full length dropping in 2021 - the sprawling yet engrossing 'Måsstaden under vatten' - the band have made it clear that their desired release route for the future is sporadic standalone singles. Considering '+ kristallfågel +' is another immense addition to their catalogue, it's a safe bet that aficionados of progressive metal at it's most crushing will not be complaining this festive season.

Words by Andrew Kapper@andrew_kapper

Stream '+ kristallfågel +' here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD0-pUfrgWA&pp=ygUNa3Jpc3RhbGxmYWdlbA%3D%3D