Vox Occulta [CD], Einar Solberg, CD

Einar Solberg (Leprous), returns with Vox Occulta, his second venture under his own name and a bold, heavy and symphonic statement, recorded in collaboration with the much-sought-after Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Solberg is out to cement himself as one of experimental music’s most epic-sounding characters: “I want to be seen as the cinematic person in prog,” he declares. “I want to completely own that. This is a very cinematic album, and that’s what I was aiming at.”

‘Stella Mortua’, Vox Occulta’s opening track, reflects that clarity of vision. Solberg croons over classical strings, before electric guitar chords emphatically join the fray and the vocalist powers his way through a majestic chorus. From there, each song has its own character – with ‘Medulla’ emphasising its huge, metallic riff and ‘Grex’ being a near-12-minute odyssey.

Vox Occulta was co-produced by Solberg and David Castillo, known for his work with Opeth, Katatonia, Amorphis and more. The album features Drummer Keli Guðjónsson (Agent Fresco), violinist Chris Baum (Bent Knee), guitarist Pierre Danel (Novelists) & bassist Jed Lingat as well as John Browne (Monuments) & Ben Levin (ex-Bent Knee). Biffy Clyro alum Adam Noble handled the mixing.

Vox Occulta will be available as a Limited CD Digipak and Gatefold white/black 2LP, as well as digitally.