“Once in a Long, Long, While…” was the third studio album by the small Icelandic band Low Roar. It was released on April 14, 2017. The album is inspired by Low Roar’s lead singer and founder, Ryan Karazija’s recent divorce and his life in Iceland.
The album is somber and atmospheric, capturing Karazija’s loneliness perfectly. The large but distant arpeggiated synths and loud guitars add a hauntingly eerie background to the band’s simple melodies and their muted drums. The album features 12 songs, each song bringing its own unique piece to Ryan’s intricate puzzle.
Listening to each song, you will piece together a melancholy story about love, loss and lack of human connection. My favorite song: “Give Me an Answer” is a sad, but epic song about how difficult communication can be between two people. The song starts with almost random, dissonant piano notes that put the listener on edge, then leads into a beautiful guitar melody that captures an epic but deep tone, one of deep longing and sorrow.
The album’s last song, “13” is a contrastingly simple piano melody with barely any singing. I believe the ending of the album to be capturing accepting what has happened to us, and moving on.
On a different note, on Oct 29, 2022, Kararzija died from complications due to pneumonia. He died at the age of 40 after a short while with the illness.
The lead singer of the band’s death was a massive shock to the band’s members and fanbase. The band released 2 more albums before Ryan’s death, both beautiful, jaw dropping albums.
Low Roar is a testament to Ryan’s life, and a sad reminder to hold on to the ones we love. The death of the singer almost adds to the eeriness and the despair of Low roar’s music, completing an already amazing piece of art
