The Linear Scaffold

Once upon a time I was walking in the mall with my girlfriend when by chance I came upon a Virgin Megastore in the process of closing down. With discounts starting a 50%, it was extremely hard to justify not cleaning whatever metal remained in the metal sections. Along with choices such as ChthoniC, Motorhead , and Carcass, I picked up Solefald’s debut The Linear Scaffold. It was not the mild familiarity with their name or the cheap price that convinced as thoroughly as the Metal-Archives reviewing stating this album as a masterpiece. I bought it expecting to like it but what actually happened was that I bought an album than can only be described as a black metal masterpiece.

The Linear Scaffold is a exceptional lesson for all would be metal musicians in the art of dynamics, duality and musical maturity. Without wasting a single second, the very first moment of Jernlov is an aural assault of chaos to the ears accompanied with an unholy shrieking. Before I could recover from the initial attack, I was treated to a sudden stop followed with perfectly calculated but still sounded like a keyboard being smashed. The rest of the album follows in this pattern. Noisy and chaotic black metal complimented by interludes on piano or on guitar constantly switching off from anguished screaming to harmonized cleans vocals all done with a thorough concept of musicianship. Songs like Floating Magenta make it perfectly clear that this is a black metal band thoroughly schooled on musical theory with all the proficiency to make an unholy chorus of anguish, anger and entertainment be listenable. The Linear Scaffold does not let up in all the previously discussed elements. Even on the last song of the album, listeners are bombarded with alternating catchy vocals and fast paced black metal. When the Moon is On the Wave ends on a perfect note reflective of the entire album: a piano piece played along with straining screeches

Lyrically The Linear Scaffold likes to range from philosophical to a poem by Lord Byron to “I have no fucking idea what is happening.” Normally it would be expected from a reviewer to discuss perhaps the strengths and weakness of the lyrics but I must digress. If you can honestly understand even 10% of the anguished screams or harmonized vocals, then more power to you. This might penalize other albums but the vocals both harsh and clean, work as an instrument tying the music together into a neat package.

Even now I feel silly typing this, but this album arguably has no flaws. The production is excellent, the song writing is a beautiful blend, the musicianship is first class, and the album contains no filler. Honestly, the only true flaw that can be argued is that it sets the bar to high. Far from a Solefald fanboy, this album started me off on a journey under false pretenses. I am simply not impressed by its successors. Yet even without a suitable successor, The Linear Scaffold is an essential listen for all metal fan.