Still cold, just a little warmer this time.

Iceage have always been a band that seemed destined to outgrow whatever label people tried to put on them. Formed in Copenhagen in 2008, they first emerged internationally with New Brigade in 2011, delivering a raw and aggressive post-punk sound that felt genuinely dangerous. Over the years, Elias Bender Rønnenfelt and the band have gradually expanded into art rock, gothic blues, indie rock, Americana, and more romantic and experimental territory.

For Love of Grace & the Hereafter continues that evolution, but for me, this is a case where the evolution feels more subtle than transformative. There are plenty of genuinely enjoyable ideas throughout the record, particularly in the rhythm section, guitar work, and understated atmosphere, but the album occasionally becomes a little too comfortable with the formula it has developed.

The first thing that immediately stands out is the bass.

Seriously, the bass is doing a lot of the heavy lifting on this record. Iceage don't necessarily write complicated bass parts, but they understand how effective a simple, memorable rhythm can be when it becomes the foundation of a song. The low, plucky groove underneath “Ember,” the chunky and infectious bassline in “Match Head Girl,” and the thick, vibrant playing throughout “The Weak” give the album a consistent low-end personality.

“Match Head Girl” might be the clearest example of that approach. The bass establishes a rhythm that immediately sticks with you, while tight drums, tambourine, cowbell, and stringy guitars gradually circle around it. The song feels accessible without sacrificing the darker identity Iceage have carried throughout their career.

That rhythm-first approach is one of the reasons the album can feel surprisingly nostalgic. There are moments that bring to mind 90s college rock, garage indie, country-rock, and even some early-2000s indie music. “No Fear” settles into a slower, moodier groove that almost feels like an old college-rock record, while “mother-of-pearl” provides a brighter contrast with more energetic guitars and tighter percussion.

The simplicity works because the instrumentation has enough character.

The guitars are rarely trying to dominate the songs. Instead, Iceage use lighter, stringier parts, reverb, acoustic textures, and small melodic details to establish atmosphere. “Ember” opens with gentle guitar and xylophone-like percussion before gradually introducing acoustic and electric layers. “Tender Blades” uses those higher-pitched plucked guitar tones to give the song a slightly more distinctive identity.

I actually think Iceage are at their strongest when the guitars sit alongside the rhythm section rather than competing with it.

That becomes increasingly important because Rønnenfelt's vocals are far more restrained than the rawer delivery that characterized some of the band's earliest work. His voice is cleaner and more controlled, but he still maintains that slightly detached, drawn-out approach that immediately identifies the band. He often sounds like he's sitting just behind the instrumental rather than trying to overpower it.

“The Weak” and “Lifetime” benefit from that approach. The way Rønnenfelt stretches certain words and phrases gives relatively simple arrangements an additional layer of personality. He doesn't need to scream or dramatically alter his delivery because the understated approach works with the band's increasingly atmospheric songwriting.

But that consistency also becomes one of the album's weaknesses.

After several songs, you begin to recognize the formula: plucky bass, restrained drums, stringy guitar lines, detached vocals, and occasional percussion details like tambourines and cowbells. Everything sounds good, but eventually the familiarity starts becoming predictable.

“Star” is a good example. The bass is strong, the drums are light, the guitars are chilled, and the groove is pleasant, but by this stage of the album, the overall sound is familiar enough that the song doesn't surprise me as much as it could.

That's not necessarily a songwriting failure. It becomes more of a pacing issue.

Iceage have clearly found a sound they're comfortable with, but For Love of Grace & the Hereafter doesn't always offer enough disruption to that formula.

There are attempts to shake things up. “The Weak” introduces strange flute-like sounds that caught me off guard. I appreciate the willingness to experiment, although I'm not completely convinced they work. The unusual instrumentation creates a deliberately awkward quality, but it also slightly interrupts what was otherwise a strong groove.

Elsewhere, those deviations work better when they come through dynamics rather than unusual instrumentation.

“Lifetime” is one of the stronger examples. The deeper bass, distant guitars, tambourines, and restrained arrangement gradually build toward a more substantial payoff. The song feels like it is actually traveling somewhere, and that makes the simplicity much more effective.

That's something Iceage understand better than they sometimes get credit for: pacing matters.

A simple song doesn't have to be boring if it creates anticipation.

The country and Americana influence also gives For Love of Grace & the Hereafter some additional personality. “Salve for Every Sore” leans into twangy guitars, reverb, and a somewhat honky-tonk atmosphere that doesn't immediately sound like something you would associate with Iceage's post-punk beginnings.

It's an interesting direction, even if it doesn't completely work for me. The bass feels more one-dimensional here, and the song lacks some of the low-end punch found elsewhere. Still, it demonstrates the band's willingness to continue bringing unexpected influences into their music.

“1835” takes another route. Funky drums eventually lead into grunge-influenced guitars and a looser indie-rock atmosphere. Rønnenfelt's almost lazy, conversational vocal delivery fits surprisingly well, allowing the rhythm and instrumentation to carry much of the song's personality.

Again, Iceage aren't showing off technically. They're building moods.

That seems to be the band's primary interest at this point in their career.

The production generally benefits that approach. The instruments are clear enough to appreciate the smaller details, which is important because so much of the album's identity comes from those little touches. Tambourines, cowbells, cymbal splashes, snare hits, distant guitars, and the bass all contribute to the arrangements without making the songs feel overloaded.

“Match Head Girl” is particularly effective in this regard. Its simple rhythmic foundation becomes much more interesting because of the little instrumental details layered around it.

“Lifetime” also demonstrates how much those small additions can help. The arrangement gradually grows instead of immediately demanding attention, and the resulting payoff feels earned.

Unfortunately, the record doesn't maintain that level of engagement everywhere.

“Holy Water” introduces a faster, more punk-oriented energy, which should theoretically provide one of the album's most exciting changes of pace. The problem is that the production suddenly feels thinner. The bass loses some of its weight, and the song doesn't have quite the same presence as the material around it.

The songwriting isn't necessarily bad. The presentation simply makes it feel less substantial.

That's particularly frustrating because a more aggressive version of this song could have provided a much-needed jolt to the album.

The slower material is generally more successful when Iceage fully commit to atmosphere.

“True Blue” brings the album down into slower drums, restrained bass, softer guitars, and a subdued vocal performance. It doesn't attempt to deliver a huge finale, and I can appreciate the decision. Still, after spending so much time immersed in the album's various grooves and textures, the ending doesn't leave me with the strongest final impression.

And that's ultimately where I land with For Love of Grace & the Hereafter.

It's a well-made record from a band that clearly understands its identity, but I don't think every song has enough individuality to make the entire album feel essential.

The bass is fantastic. The guitars have character. The percussion provides plenty of subtle movement. The production is generally strong. Rønnenfelt remains an immediately recognizable frontman even as his vocal style continues becoming more restrained.

But the overall formula becomes increasingly familiar as the record progresses.

The album is at its best when Iceage allow different parts of their identity to collide. “Ember” creates a warm and atmospheric opening, “Match Head Girl” locks into an addictive groove, “No Fear” explores the band's moodier college-rock side, and “mother-of-pearl” provides brighter energy. “The Weak” brings in strange experimentation, “Tender Blades” focuses on textural guitar work, and “1835” moves toward grunge and indie-rock territory.

“Lifetime” might be one of the clearest examples of the band successfully balancing all those elements, while “Star” feels like a good snapshot of the album's current identity.

The problem is that I wanted more moments that completely knocked me sideways.

Iceage have spent their career evolving, and I don't think that's stopping here. But this time around, the evolution feels more like refinement than reinvention. They're cleaning up the edges, leaning further into melody, and becoming increasingly comfortable with indie rock, Americana, and art-rock influences.

There's nothing inherently wrong with that.

In fact, some of these directions are genuinely compelling.

I just think the album would have benefited from a few more risks.

The strongest songs suggest that Iceage are capable of creating something incredibly distinctive when they allow the bass, guitars, percussion, and atmosphere to push against each other. The weaker songs settle too comfortably into the established formula and consequently feel less memorable.

Still, even when Iceage aren't operating at their peak, they remain a band with a very recognizable voice.

That's the most impressive thing about them.

After years of changing their sound, they still haven't lost that strange darkness and romanticism that has always existed underneath their music. The aggression has softened, the arrangements have become cleaner, and the songs have become more melodic, but there is still something slightly uncomfortable and mysterious lurking beneath the surface.

For Love of Grace & the Hereafter is therefore another solid chapter for a band that has spent nearly two decades refusing to stay in one place. It doesn't completely reinvent Iceage, and it doesn't hit me with the same force as some of their strongest work, but there are enough strong grooves, memorable basslines, interesting guitar textures, and atmospheric moments to make it worthwhile.

Iceage may have moved far beyond the aggressive post-punk band that first appeared with New Brigade, but they haven't abandoned the sense of darkness that made that early material so compelling.

They're simply finding new ways to express it.

Iceage har altid været et band, der virkede bestemt til at vokse sig ud af de labels, folk forsøgte at sætte på dem. Bandet blev dannet i København i 2008 og brød igennem på den internationale undergrundsscene med New Brigade i 2011, hvor de bragte en rå og aggressiv post-punk-lyd, der næsten føltes farlig. Gennem årene har Elias Bender Rønnenfelt og resten af bandet gradvist bevæget sig ind i art rock, gothic blues, indie rock og mere romantiske og eksperimenterende territorier. For Love of Grace & the Hereafter fortsætter denne udvikling, men for mig når albummet ikke helt de samme højder som noget af deres stærkeste materiale.

Der er masser af oprigtigt interessante idéer her, især i rytmesektionen og guitararbejdet, men albummet kan også føles en smule for komfortabelt med sin egen formel.

Det første, der virkelig skiller sig ud, er bassen. Seriøst, bassen på denne plade gør en stor del af det tunge arbejde. Uanset om det er det dybe, plukkede groove under “Ember”, det chunky og ekstremt fængende basspil i “Match Head Girl” eller de tykke, livlige baslinjer gennem “The Weak”, er der en konstant personlighed i de dybe frekvenser, som holder sangene sammen.

Iceage kaster ikke nødvendigvis komplicerede baslinjer efter dig, men de forstår, at en mindeværdig basgang kan blive selve hooket. “Match Head Girl” sætter sig især fast på grund af, hvor simpel og fængende rytmen er, mens de stramme trommer, tamburinen, cowbell og de tynde guitarer kredser omkring den.

Denne rytmefokuserede tilgang giver albummet en overraskende tilgængelig indie-rock-kvalitet. Der er øjeblikke, der føles som 90'ernes college rock, garage-indie, country-inspireret rock og endda en smule tidlig 00'er-indie, uden at bandet helt opgiver deres mørkere identitet.

“No Fear” falder ind i et langsommere og mere stemningsfuldt groove, der næsten føles som 90'ernes college rock, mens “mother-of-pearl” skruer tempoet op med lysere guitarer, strammere trommer og en mere opløftende rytme.

Bandet holder tingene forholdsvis simple i disse øjeblikke, men enkelheden fungerer, fordi instrumentationen har nok karakter til at holde dig fanget.

Guitararbejdet er på samme måde underspillet. I stedet for konstant at kaste store riffs efter dig bruger Iceage lettere, tyndere guitarfigurer, rumklang, akustiske teksturer og små melodiske detaljer til at skabe atmosfære.

“Ember” åbner med blid guitar og xylofon-lignende percussion, før nummeret udvikler sig til en blanding af akustiske og elektriske guitarer, mens “Tender Blades” bruger de højere, plukkede guitarlyde til at give sangen en mere markant identitet.

Jeg synes faktisk, guitarerne fungerer bedst, når de får lov til at eksistere side om side med rytmesektionen i stedet for at forsøge at dominere den.

Rønnenfelts vokal er endnu en vigtig del af albummets karakter. Hans levering er langt renere og mere kontrolleret her end den råere lyd, Iceage blev kendt for i begyndelsen, men han har stadig den lidt distancerede og udstrakte måde at levere ordene på, som gør sangene umiskendeligt Iceage.

Der er ikke voldsomt meget variation i vokalen gennem albummet, hvilket bliver mere tydeligt efter et stykke tid, men præstationen passer til bandets stadig mere melodiske retning.

Sange som “The Weak” og “Lifetime” fungerer godt på grund af den måde, han strækker bestemte ord og fraser ud på, hvilket giver ellers forholdsvis ligeud indie-rock-arrangementer lidt mere personlighed.

Problemet er, at denne konsekvens også kan blive til forudsigelighed.

Når man først har hørt flere af disse sange, begynder man at genkende formlen: plukket bas, forholdsvis afdæmpede trommer, tynde guitarer, Rønnenfelts distancerede vokal og lejlighedsvis percussion som tamburin eller cowbell til at bryde tingene op.

Det lyder godt, men jo længere albummet skrider frem, desto mere velkendt bliver den overordnede tilgang.

“Star” er et godt eksempel. Der er en stærk baslinje, hurtige og lette trommer, afslappede guitarer og et godt groove, men på dette tidspunkt på pladen er lyden så velkendt, at nummeret ikke overrasker mig så meget, som det kunne have gjort.

Det betyder ikke, at bandet ikke eksperimenterer. Der er små øjeblikke, hvor de bevidst forstyrrer flowet.

“The Weak” introducerer nogle mærkelige fløjtelyde, som først overraskede mig, selvom jeg ikke er helt overbevist om, at de fungerer. De tilfører en sær og næsten bevidst akavet kvalitet, men de bliver hængende lige længe nok til at afbryde det, der ellers er et virkelig stærkt groove.

Andre sange lykkes bedre med at skabe disse skift, især når Iceage skærer instrumentationen ned og lader bas og trommer bære nummeret, før guitarerne igen kommer ind i mixet.

Produktionen er generelt god og giver dig mulighed for at høre instrumenterne tydeligt, hvilket er vigtigt, fordi så meget af albummets personlighed kommer fra de mindre detaljer.

Tamburinerne, cowbell, cymbalslagene, lilletrommeslagene og de små guitarteksturer giver arrangementerne mere liv. Percussionen fungerer især godt, når Iceage bruger den som dekoration i stedet for bare at holde takten.

“Match Head Girl” og “Lifetime” nyder begge godt af disse ekstra rytmiske detaljer, som hjælper med at forhindre de forholdsvis simple guitar- og basarrangementer i at blive for repetitive.

“Lifetime” er faktisk et af de bedre eksempler på, hvordan bandet får en velkendt formel til at fungere, fordi sangen gradvist bygger op mod en stærkere forløsning.

Den dybere bastone, de fjerne guitarer og tamburinerne etablerer en afdæmpet atmosfære, før arrangementet langsomt vokser.

Denne opbygning giver afslutningen større betydning, fordi sangen faktisk føles, som om den er på vej et sted hen.

Det er et af de øjeblikke, hvor enkelheden fungerer, fordi bandet forstår pacing.

Country- og Americana-indflydelsen er endnu en interessant del af pladen.

“Salve for Every Sore” læner sig ind i twangy guitarer, rumklang og en lidt honky-tonk-agtig stemning, som giver nummeret en anden karakter end nogle af de andre sange.

Det er ikke nødvendigvis mit yndlingsarrangement, fordi bassen føles mere endimensionel, og sangen ikke har helt det samme punch i de dybe frekvenser som noget af det tidligere materiale, men jeg sætter pris på forsøget på at bevæge sig ind i en anden tekstur.

Det viser også, hvordan Iceage kan tage noget, der ikke nødvendigvis burde passe til deres post-punk-rødder, og få det til at føles som en del af deres egen verden.

“1835” tager en anden vej. Nummeret starter med funky trommer, før det bevæger sig i retning af grunge-inspirerede guitarer og indie rock.

Rønnenfelts næsten dovne og samtaleagtige vokallevering fungerer godt her, fordi det føles, som om han bevidst placerer sig bag rytmen i stedet for at forsøge at overdøve den.

Igen er dette et band, der virker mere interesseret i at skabe en stemning end i at demonstrere teknisk kunnen.

Der er enkelte steder, hvor produktionen svigter albummet en smule.

“Holy Water” har en hurtigere, næsten punk-inspireret energi, men mixet lyder pludselig tyndere end det, der kom før. Bassen mister noget af sin tyngde, og hele nummeret føles mindre fyldigt end materialet omkring det.

Selve sangskrivningen er ikke nødvendigvis problemet; produktionen giver bare ikke nummeret den samme tilstedeværelse.

Det er frustrerende, fordi den mere energiske performance kunne have gjort dette til et af albummets højdepunkter.

Albummets langsommere materiale fungerer generelt bedre, når atmosfæren får lov til at bære sangene.

“True Blue” skruer alting ned med langsommere trommer, afdæmpet bas, bløde guitarer og en mere tilbagetrukket vokalpræstation.

Det afslutter ikke nødvendigvis albummet med en stor klimaks, men måske er det netop meningen.

Efter alt det groove-drevne indie rock, twang, mørkere baslinjer og rytmiske eksperimenteren fader pladen ganske enkelt ud.

Det er ikke en dårlig afslutning, men den efterlader mig ikke med det stærkeste sidste indtryk.

Det er i sidste ende dér, jeg lander med For Love of Grace & the Hereafter.

Det er et velproduceret album fra et band, der tydeligvis forstår sin egen identitet, men jeg synes ikke, at alle sangene har nok individualitet til at få hele pladen til at føles essentiel.

Bassen er fantastisk, guitarerne har masser af karakter, produktionen er generelt stærk, og Rønnenfelts vokal giver det hele den genkendelige Iceage-personlighed.

Men den velkendte formel begynder at blive tydelig, især på anden halvdel af albummet.

Alligevel er der meget at nyde her.

“Ember” etablerer en varm og ægte indie-rock-atmosfære, “Match Head Girl” bringer et ekstremt fængende groove, “The Weak” tilføjer country-twang og eksperimentering, “No Fear” falder ind i en stemningsfuld college-rock-følelse, og “mother-of-pearl” tilfører noget tiltrængt opløftende energi.

“Tender Blades”, “1835” og “Lifetime” finder hver deres måde at lege med bandets etablerede lyd på, mens “Star” føles som en solid repræsentation af, hvor Iceage befinder sig stilistisk lige nu.

Iceage fortsætter med at udvikle sig, men denne gang synes jeg, at udviklingen er mere subtil end transformerende.

De laver stadig interessant musik, og deres evne til at blande post-punk, indie rock, garage, country og art rock er imponerende.

Jeg ønskede bare, at der havde været nogle flere øjeblikke, der virkelig slog benene væk under mig.

Den største konklusion er, at Iceage stadig lyder som Iceage, selv efter alle disse år og alle disse stilistiske ændringer.

Musikken er blevet renere, mere melodisk og mere tilgængelig, men den mærkelige følelse af mørke og romantik ligger stadig begravet under overfladen.

For Love of Grace & the Hereafter er et solidt kapitel for et band, der har brugt næsten to årtier på at nægte at blive stående ét sted.

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