Review by Adam M on May 12, 2025.

This album presented a further evolution of the sound from Screaming for Vengeance into a more refined and slicker beast. Some of the band’s most memorable moments are to be found here like the wonderful “The Sentinel” which is simply one of the more memorable things the band has done. Their eighties style is quite gleaming and a very interesting time period in the band’s lifespan.

The musicianship is quite stellar with guitars that gleam from a nice sheen and form the backbone of the band’s sound. Drums are pounding and similar to those found on Screaming for Vengeance. The vocals are high pitched and make for a highly interesting listen. Th9s is one of the more distinctive albums in the band’s discography.

IF there is a flaw to be found here it is in how the album comes up a bit short of Screaming for Vengeance and is simply up to the level of that masterpiece and just another excellent release for the band. It is still memorable and necessary listening for all Priest fans.

So all in all a classic album is to be found with Defenders of the Faith. It has the right classic influence to make an impression on the listener. It is a very memorable listen and will find its way high into fans grasps. All fans of Priest should like the album as it is a powerful display of might a might and a necessary listen.

Rating: 8.2/10

Review by Adam M on September 14, 2014.

Solstafir has created an album with an even more relaxing atmosphere than its previous entry Svartir Sandar. The wondrous ocean in the background on the album cover nicely represents the movements of music that are gone through here.

Songs typically feature softer moments that built up into a climax of more powerful moments. A great example of this is the title track, which has beautiful strings that are the background of the song and an increase in intensity that is wondrous to behold. “Midaftann” features beautiful piano and stands out as the most subtle piece here. One can also be overwhelmed by the last couple of minutes of “Lagnetti” and its use of piano. Overall, the tracks need time to get stuck in the listener’s mind and once they do the album can become more addictive.

This is also an album that is good for relaxing, despite partially belonging to the heavy metal genre. The mood or atmosphere is an important part of music and the amount that is created on Otta is overwhelming. The folk element of the music that is contained here is masked in a larger degree of atmospherics. The tag atmospheric metal might actually thus be largely appropriate for the music here. Instrumentally, a very sparse sound is accompanied by several instruments, much like Agalloch, but I think Solstafir has the advantage over that band this year.

Check out this new work and the band’s previous album while you’re at it and become enraptured by what is turning out to be one of the better bands in music these days. Otta is compelling from one song to the next.

Rating: 9 out of 10