Review: Legend & Sólstafir – 'Runaway Train (Live)'

LEGEND & SÒLSTAFIR
'Runaway Train (Live)'
ARTOFFACT RECORDS

Icelandic dark pop act Legend return with a dark and sinister cover of their own song 'Runaway Train' recorded live with fellow countrymen in the form of post-metalers Sólstafir. The two bands had previously released a split EP together(on which Sólstafir covered 'Runaway Train' themselves), but this release marks the first direct collaboration on a track between them. And it is a thing of beauty.

The band's come together to find a unique middle ground between their respective sounds. The dark pop hooks of Legend's original composition are still very much evident, while Sólstafir's raw experimental mindset bleeds through profusely. The end result is a raw, dark and visceral progressive-tinged rock that sounds like a blend of 'Eternity' and 'The Silent Enigma' Anathema. Absolutely beautiful.

The production is excellent considering this is a live performance captured and released in such a short space of time. This is one of those times in music where everything just clicks and sounds great together. You can't replicate that kind of chemistry really, it just has to be present and documented.

This is a great coming together of two different but ultimately complimentary acts that have a genuinely unique bond. Could this be the seeds of an Icelandic supergroup? One can only hope. This certainly shows that there is the potential for such a pairing. Perhaps after the next Legend album there may be time for an EP of original collaborations? One can only dream. But in the hear and now this is a damn fine song and should be heard.   

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Sólstafir and Legend announce Cassingle

Icelandic artists Legend and Sólstafir announced last week that, after selling out their limited-to-300 units 7" vinyl split of 'Fjara' / 'Runaway Train', they would be re-issuing the two cover tracks on the rarely-used cassingle format.

The cassingle format was chosen as a way to release radio masters, which were commissioned to give the tracks a boost on the Icelandic national radio, RUV.

The cassingle edition is limited to 100 copies, of which nearly 80 sold in the first 48 hours. The cassingles come in six different collector colours, each colour chosen by a band-member. Each cassingle will also come with a download coupon.

The bands also announced a reprint of their split 7", this time on translucent green vinyl. The reprinted 7"s come bundled with a cassingle and are not available on their own.

The cassingle is available now while stocks last via Artoffact records. For more information on the bands, please visit their respective official websites HERE and HERE.

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Artoffact Records to release Sólstafir / Legend split 7"

Canadian underground label Artoffact has announced the release of a very limited edition 7” vinyl split from Icelandic bands Sólstafir and Legend. The split will see each band cover one of the other's songs.

Sólstafir craft a post-metal version of one of Legend's 'Runaway Train'. While Legend reform Sólstafir's 'Fjara' into a dark-pop anthem.

The 7" vinyl features an exclusive photo by Icelandic artist Iris Sigurdardottir with the band-members lined up in a black room, side-by-side. The vinyl is available in two versions and limited to a total 300 copies worldwide, half of which have already been sold.

1. Crystal clear with silver (90 copies)

2. Crystal clear with little bit of mixed solid red (70 copies)

The 7” split is available to pre-order the Artoffact webshop. For more information on the bands, please visit their websites HERE and HERE.

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