‘Fever Dream’ is a fantastic return from adored folk-rockers Of Monsters and Men
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07.08.2019

‘Fever Dream’ is a fantastic return from adored folk-rockers Of Monsters and Men

Photo: Meredith Truax
Words By Marnie Vinall

They pick up from where they left off.

Ears across the globe have waited patiently for another Of Monsters and Men album since their last release, Beneath the Skin in 2015. Now, fans finally get their relief with Fever Dream, a highly anticipated album that demands forgiveness for the wait with its careful creation.

The album is co-produced by Rich Costey (CHVRCHES, Vampire Weekend), and showcases the band’s evolution while staying true to their unique folk-rock sound. It dabbles in slightly poppier and brighter sounds with a step towards more rock than folk undercurrents, most notably in tracks like ‘Alligator’ and ‘Wars’. ‘Alligator,’ in particular, has an energetic quality that’s new to the band.

There are slower moments in tracks like ‘Stuck In Gravity’, where Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson’s vocals are front and centre, and ‘Under A Dome’, which is driven by steady drumming throughout. The lyrics of Fever Dream also feel more refined and stronger in their poetic quality and depth. The album constantly mixes Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Raggi’s vocals throughout, and they become powerful when their vocals combine, particularly on ‘Sleepwalker’.

Overall, Fever Dream is a collection of emotionally-driven music where each track tells a story and brings its own unique power, leaving the listener dazed, entranced, and potentially a little teary.

8.5