If any genre is oversaturated, black metal is at the top of the list. Despite being stuffed with shit for the most part, the low barrier to entry makes for endless new bands, and way too many good ones to listen to in one lifetime. To stand out in black metal, you have to excel, hit at the right time, and capitalize on the moment. Mannveira comes straight from the home of Icelandic black metal, Reykjavik, a place rife with great bands and a subgenre all its own. So, can they break free by going above and beyond as a band while surpassing their previous LP from half a decade ago? Or do they sit at the feet of their inspirations, repeating the same motions?
Vesöld is Mannveira’s first record since 2021, and little has changed. Their mix of rolling black metal with Illugi Kristinsson’s howling tones remains natural-sounding and atmospheric. Oddur Blöndal and Örlygur Sigurðarson’s guitars weave worthy melodies with occasionally inspired tremolo playing, like on “Lygar himinsins” or “Af bergi brotin”. Óskar Guðjónsson’s bass is the best part of the record alongside Hilmar Guðjónsson’s drumming. Elevating Vesöld is their rhythmic, natural playing, which adds a rich layer to the mix. Guðjónsson doesn’t lean too far into black metal tropes or unnecessary speed, letting his steady playing give a kick to Kristinsson’s hollow vocals.
Mannveira is talented, but their lack of songwriting ambition and stylistic play make for a record that stagnates quickly. Kristinsson is a key culprit, and while his vocals are fine in the grand scheme of the genre, they do nothing to help the band stand out. On top of that, he lacks range, and every song bleeds together. Metal is often made fun of for its indecipherable vocals, but Mannveira don’t even give you a chance. Although inspired by an established style, unlike their neighbors Svartidauði, Mannveira doesn’t bolster atmospheric vocals with unique or interesting instrumentation. Instead, they lean on trope after trope, and while competent, the band does little to stand out. While the scene no doubt influences Mannveira’s sound, other Icelandic groups like Sinmara and Misþyrming show there is no reason to be boxed in.
Vesöld will have moments that will make your ears perk up, a riff here or there, and the lovely overall tone will keep you sated in the short term. It is decent background music if you are always on the prowl for more black metal, but it never aspires to anything more than the equivalent of elevator music for corpse-painted forest-dwellers. The album is mercifully short, but the final track “Rottur” is a rollicking blackened punk song that feels like it came from a different band. It makes me long for an album replete with similar tracks and shows a band capable of more.
I wish I had more kind words for Mannveira. They are talented, their music is well-produced, and they can clearly write a good song, but it lacks consistency. Kristinsson works much better on tracks like “Rottur,” but his strict adherence to a style hurts Mannveira’s overall sound, despite the ability to bridge genre gaps more readily. “Rottur” shows signs of life, and if the band can capitalize on those ideas and expand upon them, a great, energetic black metal record is buried in there. Let’s hope it doesn’t take another five years.
Rating: Disappointing
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dark Descent Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: October 16th, 2026
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