Óreiða’s second album finds sole member Thor embarking on an intense voyage of self-discovery ensnared in a Sisyphean loop. As avalanches of blizzard-invoking static and synths homogenise the expansive terrain like a calendar full of frostridden Groundhog Days, the repetition gradually yields to mesmerism. Amid the seemingly endless Arctic swirl of The Climb and The Apex, desolate black metal instrumentals are subverted by elements of post-punk and shoegaze. Thor has hammered out an impressive response to humanity’s perpetual need to attribute meaning to life, by divining moments of majesty amid allengulfing chaos. ■■■■■■■□□□