A one-woman ethereal onslaught from another realm.

Let’s get something out of the way up front: Nova is not your typical metal album. And Sylvaine is not your typical metal artist. This is atmospheric metal dressed in a funeral gown, floating down a misty hallway, whispering in tongues and sometimes straight-up screaming in your face.

Sylvaine, the solo project of Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Kathrine Shepard, builds soundscapes that feel cinematic, intimate, and at times—apocalyptic. I spent the entire album with headphones on, taking notes like I was decoding a sonic séance. Here’s what I found:

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Track One: “Nova”

The album opens like you’re attending a sacred ritual inside a decaying cathedral. Think layered, angelic vocals, orchestral swells, and the haunting mood of a mystery movie’s opening credits. It’s beautiful. It’s eerie. It lulls you in. And then—

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Track Two: “Mono No Aware”

BOOM. Welcome to the metal. Screaming guitars punch in with no warning. The vocals? Screamed, ghostly, and raw. It felt like an angry spirit finally broke through reality’s barrier and started yelling at me about everything it’s ever suffered. I couldn’t understand a word—but I felt every bit of it. Later, clean vocals drift in like a haunted choir, layered three-deep or more. (Also, is this in a different language? Still not sure.)

This one’s energetic, fast, and surprisingly controlled. The guitar tone is gritty but never muddy—something Sylvaine seems incredibly good at balancing throughout the album.

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Track Three: “Nowhere, Still Somewhere”

The most played track on Spotify, and for good reason. The mood feels like standing on a beach at night while your past regrets swirl in the tide. Sonically, it scratches that same weird nostalgic spot in my brain that the intro to Don Henley’s Boys of Summer hits—but then it crashes into choir vocals and metallic warmth. Dissonant, meditative, and deeply textured.

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Track Four: “Fortapt”

This one’s a journey. It begins like a gentle trickle of water down a forgotten wall… then BAM—medieval war party energy. I imagined knights cresting a hill while the sky darkens. The guitar doesn’t feel heavily distorted, but the layers make it feel massive. There’s even a clean piano mixed in—seriously cool contrast. This one feels like it could close out a heavy, emotional thriller film.

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Track Five: “I Close My Eyes So I Can See”

Starts playful, almost sing-song, then drops into a groove. The bass here is nasty in the best way, and the vocals are… dare I say… Lady Gaga does metal? (And if Gaga ever reads this: please make that happen.) Rich harmonies, emotional highs, and some of the best vocal work on the album.

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Track Six: “Everything Must Come To An End”

Slow, string-heavy, and mournful. It teases a build-up that never quite breaks. Like watching the tide swell without ever crashing. I kept waiting for the metal moment, but it held its line. And you know what? That restraint worked. The tension was the point.

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Track Seven: “Dissolution”

This feels like the album’s resolution. A slow-burn anthem where the bassline takes the wheel and the vocals soar like a ghost choir over a foggy battlefield. It’s heavy—but not “mosh pit” heavy. More like “sit in your car and think about life at night” heavy.

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Final Thoughts

Nova is an album that tells a story without needing to be understood word-for-word. I couldn’t pick out many lyrics, but that didn’t matter. The vibe was there. The emotion was there. It’s ethereal, cinematic, and hauntingly beautiful. Maybe not as crushingly heavy as I usually go for, but it hit all the right nerves.

Sylvaine is a one-woman atmospheric wrecking crew—and Solo Sunday was made for artists like her.

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Written by Bradley Page
🎧 theoriginalrage.com
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