Of Monsters and Men showcases Icelandic roots on ‘Beneath The Skin’

Of Monsters And Men playing at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 22nd, 2012.

Beneath the Skin, the sophomore album from Icelandic folk-pop band Of Monsters and Men, comes as a brilliant continuation of the group’s unique style and storytelling ability. Teasing fans with four singles since March, Of Monsters and Men has put together a solid album that serves as a delight for listeners craving something new since their last release, My Head Is An Animal, in 2012.

The album opens with its lead single, “Crystals.” The song gives a first taste of the band’s co-singer, Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, accompanied by a driving drum beat and long, slower acoustic chords. Harmonizing-back vocals join her as the rest of the music matches pace with the drums. The chorus breaks, and the line “Cover your crystal eyes/ And let your colors bleed and blend with mine” stands out strong against the lighter sounds of the song.

On the mellow and moody second track, “Human,” Of Monsters and Men’s other co-singer, Ragnar Þórhallsson, takes the lead, singing alone before Hilmarsdóttir enters for the chorus. The lyrics tell listeners to “let the human in” to counteract being caged like an animal. The lyrical ability of the group pulls strongly from Icelandic folktales, and as such, has strong imagery with animals and fantastical themes.

The band stays slow with the intro for the the fourth single off the album, “Hunger.” The chorus kicks in, speeding things up and mimicking the drum beat from “Crystals,” injecting energy back into the sound with electric guitar melodies and both vocalists almost pleading for help: “I’m drowning/ I’m drowning.” The band carries this newfound energy into the three songs that follow, “Wolves Without Teeth” (this reviewer’s favorite from the album), the third single “Empire” and “Slow Life”.

Both “Wolves” and “Empire” have strong choruses that play beautifully with the melodies and get stuck in your head. The electric guitar that cuts through “Empire” is balanced by quiet piano and adds energy to Þórhallsson and Hilmarsdóttir’s vocals. “Slow Life” stands out for its rhythm section, which powers the track through one of the band’s best basslines.

Hilmarsdóttir sings alone on “Slow Life” and “Organs,” which is the album’s quiet ballad. Joined only by her acoustic guitar, a piano and a deep string section, Hilmarsdóttir tells of a breakup, with her organs reminding her “how it all went wrong.” The song points to moving past the pain as she sings, “I leave in my heart/ Because I don’t want to stay in the dark.”

“Black Water” gives a brief reprise from the slowness of “Organs” and the return of both vocalists, before the tempo drops again into “Thousand Eyes.” Both singers guide the song through an ambient piano-laden soundscape for two minutes before a dramatic buildup of every instrument the band has to offer — strings, drums, bass and guitar — appears before giving way to silence. Hilmarsdóttir ends on a chilling line, “I am the storm, so wait.”

“I Of The Storm,” the second single off the album, is the most traditional pop song. But not pop in the sense of Tove Lo’s “Talking Body” or Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance,” it sets itself apart as a very simple acoustic guitar and piano setup, with Hilmarsdóttir’s vocals sounding reminiscent of a slowed-down Katy Perry song, pushed forward by a marching snare roll. The theme of being “pulled under” runs throughout the song, and carries on into the next song “We Sink.” Lush, roomy guitars open the song. Þórhallsson and Hilmarsdóttir trading duties between verses before joining together with an extremely heavy chorus — the closest the band comes to rock ‘n’ roll — followed by a melodic piano buildup. The song and the album finish with a quiet, pretty piano.

When a band comes along with a fresh, exciting new sound, it is something great. When a band is able to continue making music with the same sound and still have it be fresh and exciting, that is something to treasure. The release of Beneath the Skin will be an enjoyable experience after many listens and marks the strength in both the bands’ ability to craft telling lyrics and beautiful music.