Album Review: Iotunn - Waves Over Copenhell (2026, Metal Blade Records)
- Stuart Ball
- Dec 29, 2025
- 4 min read
Written: 29th December 2025
Following the release of the excellent Kinship during the latter half of 2024, Iotunn – who balance significant progressive leanings with elements of melodic death metal - became a band I started to follow much more closely. They have established an ever growing fan base and received accolades from many others in the music industry including producer Jacob Hansen, Øystein G. Brun of Borknagar, Ivan Bjornsson of Enslaved and Knur M. Valle of Arcturus. Having not managed to see the band live as yet, it was with some interest that I received the promotional material for this live album which will be released digitally, on vinyl and also with plans from the band to “present the whole show on video.”
Waves Over Copenhell – which covers five songs and fifty minutes – captures the band’s performance at the world famous festival in June 2023. From the outset, Iotunn waste no time in creating a mysterious and ethereal atmosphere. Running to over twelve minutes, opening track Waves Below begins with almost three minutes of gently swirling but barely moving synths, setting the mood for the upcoming show. When the band first attack, it is with crushing chords and powerful percussion that heralds the arrival of vocalist Jón Aldará and the first words of Waves Below. Sunrises over derelicts, dust and decay / The light gathers no momentum / For chasing shadows away. For the uninitiated, there may be some surprise at the drama and intensity that Aldará manages to summon with his voice, which surely must rank as one of the best in modern progressive metal. He moves from black metal style shrieks to melodic death growls to grandiose clean delivery with ease, and this range allows Iotunn a vast scope in the music itself. Six minutes in, the scintillating guitar work from brothers Jens Nicolai and Jesper Gräs gives the melodic moments of the track a monumental majesty that builds resplendently. All of this is anchored by a colossal, thunderous and technically proficient rhythm section in bassist Eskil Rask and drummer Bjørn Wind Andersen. As an opening statement for both the set and the live album, it makes one thing clear: Iotunn are the real deal and what follows promises to be nothing short of unforgettable.
Following Waves Below, The Tower of Cosmic Nihility – another track from their debut album Access All Worlds – continues in similar epic fashion, almost reaching nine minutes in length. The strength of Iotunn is the irrefutable quality of each member’s contribution. While Jón Aldará’s vocals undeniably deserve many plaudits, the immersive, eldritch instrumentation the band conjures is a labyrinthine tapestry of tectonic riffs, iridescent harmonies and cataclysmic crescendos. The sheer scale of the live performance is clearly apparent even in solely audio form. This is mirrored in the lyrics which explore existential collapse and dread intertwined with themes of emptiness and the overwhelming horror of boundless space. The cosmic horror empowers me / An escape from my need to believe / I stare into the vast cold void to conquer.
The Tower of Cosmic Nihility segues directly into Access All Worlds, which, if anything, feels even more gargantuan - like a vast megacity rising endlessly into the heavens. Iotunn demand a lot a lot of their listeners - Access All Worlds is another lengthy track reaching twelve and a half minutes – however, at no point does their music become stagnant or lack cohesion; something of interest is always happening. The track unfolds through fascinating instrumental passages, with Jón Aldará – who onstage is cloaked in his signature hooded cape - shifting effortlessly from ferocious, guttural growls to soaring, expressive vocals. Around him, the instrumentation veers from volatile and incendiary assaults to astral, contemplative soundscapes, creating a journey that feels both immense and intimate.
Copenhell 2023 took place as the band were working on Kinship and during that time, the band wrote, mixed and mastered Mistland which is the fourth track here. Jón Aldará comments, “The theme of the song revolves around risking relationships to break free of the old ways and embrace new ideas and ‘progress,’ for better or worse.” This fed into the general story and concept of Kinship which “deals with ancient peoples becoming aware of a ritual that can release them from their earthly form and allow them to seek new astral and spiritual horizons.” Mistland served as a transitional track between Access All Worlds and Kinship with a slightly higher emphasis on melody; however, that should in no way indicate to listeners that the band lost any of their initial ferocity. The Gräs brothers coruscating twin guitar work on Mistland together with some truly outstanding double bass drumming from Bjørn Wind Andersen makes for an exciting, enigmatic and mercurial journey.
Waves Over Copenhell ends with Voyage of the Garganey I - another epic that delves into themes of isolation, mortality and futile ambition. It is a perfect example of Iotunn’s intuitive understanding of how to structure a progressive metal track. A masterclass in progressive metal structure, it shifts through scintillant harmonies, auroral vocal arcs and serpentine guitar lines, all executed with precision and kaleidoscopic flair.
Iotunn have already carved out a formidable claim as one of the most electrifying forces in the genre’s evolution and over five expansive pieces and fifty-one minutes, they deliver a performance that feels commanding and transcendent. It serves as a flawless entry point for newcomers and a spellbinding reaffirmation for long-time devotees. Hints of black metal ferocity, progressive melodic death intricacy and avant-garde unpredictability permeate every passage, creating a soundscape that is as daring as it is immersive. Fans drawn to the visionary spirit of Opeth, Borknagar, Arcturus, Wilderun or Enslaved will find much to appreciate here. This is no mere replication of studio craft; it is a declaration from a band that are potentially poised to redefine the future of progressive metal and I hope to witness their brilliance on a UK stage in 2026. The first essential metal release of 2026.
Waves Over Copenhell is released on 9th January 2026.
Iotunn online
Comments