Full Album Stream: Sahg: Delusions Of Grandeur – new album

Well, it is a new album (as far as I’m concerned and) as far as Americans are concerned, since SAHG's fourth LP will grace their stores from tomorrow, February the 18th, 2014, on, courtesy Metal Blade Records. ‘Delusions Of Grandeur’ – a fine, fine album - just listen to it below – became available in Europe in October 2013, apparently, through Indie Recordings. “Nothing less than 48 minutes of impeccable musicianship and flawless delivery”, the album was recorded live at Solslottet Studios/Castle Of The Sun with producer Iver Sandøy. SAHG's “fourth entry in the annals of wickedness, a doom-infused, heavy rock fireball that’s set to torch speakers around the globe”, as put by Metal Blade, was welcomed with open arms by European press. For example, Rock Hard Greece described it as “an epic culmination of artistic maturity, intelligence and inspirational prog melodies”, and France's Metalchroniques advised: “Try the trip, you will not be disappointed”. So, try the trip after you’ve read the instructions provided by the label, and then order your own copy of ‘Delusions Of Grandeur’ here (Metal Blade store), here (Indie Recordings store – top right corner), on iTunes, Spotify etc:

“Inspired by imagery from Stanley Kubrick's “2001: A Space Odyssey”, Fritz Lang's 1927 masterpiece “Metropolis”, the eerie aesthetics of sci-fi author Sean Williams' “Astropolis” quadrilogy, and Norwegian novelist Karl Ove Knausgård's explosive autobiography, “My Struggle” [yes, “Min Kamp”], there’s no denying the depth of thought as well as musicianship that underlies SAHG's fourth, most ambitious release. And from the breathtaking, cinematic dynamics opening salvo ‘Slip Off The Edge Of The Universe’ to the thundering muscularity of ‘Firechild’ and the utterly cosmic, 11-minute sojourn of ‘Sleeper's Gate To The Galaxy’, this is the stuff landmarks are made of. Get involved:”

Active since 2004, Bergen, Norway-based SAHG quickly impressed Swedish Regain Records who signed the band on strength of just a few demos; apparently “filling the void in the Norwegian metal fauna”, SAHG's debut album, counting vocalist and guitarist Olav Iversen (MANNGARD), drummer Kvitrafn (WARDRUNA), bassist King/Tom Cato Visnes (GOD SEED, OV HELL etc) and guitarist Thomas Tofthagen (AUDREY HORNE), was a success in Norway where it entered charts at number 31, as well as abroad. Their 2006 debut, ‘Sahg I’, was praised by critics and fans alike, receiving a perfect 10/10 from Germany's Rock Hard and a 8/10 rating from Metal Hammer UK. Shortly after, drummer Kvitrafn announced his departure from the band and was replaced with Tor Bjarne Bjelland. Classic Rock magazine hailed SAHG's sophomore album, 2008's ‘Sagh II’, as one which “teeters on the edge of a modern day classic”. With new drummer, Thomas Lönnheim, the group recorded ‘Sahg III’ which was released in 2010 through Indie Recordings:

“Now, given SAHG's roots in the Norwegian black metal movement and the unfair expectancies imposed upon its former practitioners (i.e. thou shalt not, under any circumstance, be likable), it’s entirely possible that a few fans will perceive these new heights of compositional maturity and widespread appeal as demystifying and even downright offensive to some long-abandoned cause. But, one can always hope that those goblins gave up searching for the one ring long ago, and will thus leave SAHG alone to grow and prosper in the real world,” [commented Eduardo Rivadavia – more here]

SAHG features: Olav Iversen - vocals and guitar, Thomas Tofthagen – guitar, Tony Vetaas - bass and vocals and Thomas Lønnheim – drums and percussion