Track By Tracks: Sarpedon - Before The Nightingale Sings (2019)

1. Spiritual War:

Based on one of the first riffs Torgeir made for the album. A very typical Sarpedon song, I think, in the way that it mixes heaviness, groove, some speedy and technical bits, and melodic hooks. Lyrically Spiritual war is about how people goes through ethical dilemmas every day. How cynical the human being has become. But also those who misuses human ethical emotions for their own gain.

2. Creeping Chaos:

Probably the heaviest song was written, with an almost Viking Metal kind of vibe to the main riff – we’re Norwegians, after all. This song has some particularly cool keyboard work to complement the heavy guitars and shows of the entire range of Göran’s fantastic voice.

Lyrically it’s one of several songs on the album dealing with mental health issues – depression or anxiety as creeping chaos silently occupying your mind. Similar themes occur in The Maelstrom and to some extent the Enemy as well. 

3. The Enemy:

The album’s most “power metal” kind of song, sort of a natural sequel to the title track of Anomic Nation but much more technical. With the heavy riffing and melodic chorus I also think this song is a very good example of the “updated” Sarpedon sound.

4. Eye Of The Storm:

This song is made of a riff Jimmy made, combined with other parts that Torgeir had written separately. Together with Creeping Chaos this is among Sarpedon’s heaviest tunes – a very powerful and atmospheric song I think. Eirik does some fantastic backing vocals on this one as well, and Göran shows off his inner Coverdale in a fantastic manner. Eye of the storm is about how some people thrive in chaos like they're in the eye of the storm and causing havoc around them.

5. The Maelstrom:

Another song dealing with mental health issues and depression, and that’s evident in the music as well I think. This is a dark, heavy, and at times quite manic song, with lots of stuff going on at the same time while always – hopefully – retaining the melodic edge. The “creeping chaos” dealt with in the song with that name can be felt in the way the heavy guitars come in during the intro riff, and just grows stronger through the song. The main riff is very simple. Jimmy and Daniel Hemstad also do great jobs on this song.

6. The First Sun:

Probably the most groovy and “progressive” song on the album, in the traditional sense of the word. There’s almost some Death-ish vibes to the riffing. Lyrically we’re in sad-ish territory again: trying to understand what it’s like for a guy who tried taking his own life, waking up in the hospital bed realizing he didn’t manage that – either.

7. The Nightingale:

As with “The Eye of the Storm” this is a mix of two minds working together without knowing it: Daniel Iversen came toTorgeir with a long and epic piano part, which I then rearranged and put together with some heavy-ish, almost Blind Guardian-esque guitar riffs. The result is another quite epic song, featuring some particularly nice bass playing by Jimmy. Torgeir was also very happy with the lyrics on this one – dealing with loneliness and anxiety – and the way Göran and Eirik channels them.