The Century of the Self is the long awaited new album from Norway’s best-selling prog band, Airbag, and is released by Karisma Records on 14 June 2024.
Airbag kick off their sixth studio album with Dysphoria, with widely panned guitar and sweeping synth waves. A slow-paced piece, containing lyrics touching on the world we find ourselves in, with conspiracies, trolling and a culture of cancellation.
The instrumentation builds as the song progresses. A specific feature I have noticed on this Airtbag album is the prominence of the bass, from Kristian Hultgren and Bjørn Riis. It adds real power to the songs, and underpins the anthemic guitar lines from Riis.
Tyrants and Kings ups the tempo, and adds acoustic guitars to the mix for the first time. A mature arrangement, with simplicity and space, enabling keyboard or guitar lines to cut through with clarity. Henrik Bergan Fossum adds an at times post-punk chill to his drum patterns on this track. This is Airbag at its most refined.
Awakening strips the arrangement back to delay-treated vocals and acoustic guitar, and then the bass, drums and synths kick in like a deep punch to the gut. A slight U2 lyrical reference feels appropriate, with a song that is close to a slow-burning classic rock template, topped off with some Airbag sparkles.
The middle section of Awakening gives the musicians the chance to stretch out and shine. As always with Airbag, the performances are sympathetic and never show-boating.
Erase is a bass-driven groove, that begs to be played at volume. Psychedelic, heavily processed guitar and wild drums propel the albums heaviest track towards the 14 minute closer, Tear It Down.
Tear It Down introduces itself with a shuffling drum beat, softly twinkling Rhodes piano, and sustained guitar, leading to the angry and frustrated chorus of “Tear it down, tear it all.”
A delicious Rhodes riff then takes over at around the 7 minute / half-way mark, signalling the next section in the ever-evolving Tear It Down. Deep bass and soaring guitar lines from Kristian Hultgren and Ole Michael Bjørndal, do battle with spacey synth from guest Simen Valldal Johannessen. Fans of early Porcupine Tree are going to love this epic song. A great way to end the album, Tear It Down is the track I often find myself returning to again and again.
The Century of the Self feels like the most complete Airbag album to date, with the band spending so much time on the arrangements. It would be easy to just keep piling in with the heavy moments, but there is a real taste of light and shade on display here. Tear it down, tear it all.
Airbag are:
Asle Tostrup – vocals, keyboards and programming
Henrik Bergan Fossum – drums
Bjørn Riis – guitars, bass, keyboards and backing vocals
Featuring: Kristian Hultgren – bass on Dysphoria & Tear it Down
Ole Michael Bjørndal – guitar on Dysphoria, Tyrants and Kings & Tear it Down
Simen Valldal Johannessen – keyboards on Tear it Down
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Tracklist:
Dysphoria (10:39)
Tyrants and Kings (6:48)
Awakening (6:42)
Erase (7:53)
Tear It Down (14:59)
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