This is emotion-soaked music projected with a stylistic confidence that earned this band the highest rating (KKKKK) from Kerrang! magazine. These four musicians are the real deal, impressive at any scale: electric or unplugged, on the stage or in the studio. And it is their studio work that is most in the news today.
In November 2010 Agent Fresco released their first full-length CD, an ambitious 17-track concept album entitled A Long Time Listening. Recognized as “an amazing album by the best rock band in the country today” (Morgunblaðið), it was immediately shortlisted for best album of the year by Icelandic music critics of both national newspapers, as well as for a Kraumur Award, and for the Nordic Music Prize, not to mention climbing to #1 on the charts of the gogoyoko music download site. And the respect of their fellow musicians is reflected in the number of front-ranking Icelandic performers who volunteered to sing back-up chorus on the title track of the album.
Plans are now underway for an upcoming tour of Europe to capitalize on the publicity the album has generated, and to strengthen the recognition they acquired from previous concert & festival appearances in England, France (ClassEu’Rock 08’), Netherlands (Eurosonic 10’) Denmark & Czechoslovakia.
Recognition was not slow in coming to this group of music students when they formed Agent Fresco back in 2008 to compete in the annual Musíktilraunir (Battle of the Bands) competition, which they swept convincingly, winning not only the grand prize, but also individual prizes for best guitarist, best drummer and best bassist. Since then they have received a Kraumur Award for their 2008 EP Lightbulb Universe, and were declared Best New Band (Bjartasta Von) at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2009.
The strength of their performances at the Iceland Airwaves music festival has brought them to the attention of international media such as KEXP radio (Seattle) and Kerrang! magazine (London), who have posted online interviews and performances of Agent Fresco on their websites. More impressive still, they have attracted the attention of filmmakers Bowen Staines and Gunnar B. Guðbjörnsson, who included considerable footage of the band in their Iceland Airwaves documentary Where´s the Snow?! which premiered at the Reykjavík International Film Festival in 2010. The band received additional international publicity as the focus of two episodes in Bowen Staines´ Don´t Panic TV web series.
Critical attention is still sharply focused on this band in 2011 with their nomination for a prestigious DV Culture Award and three nominations for the Icelandic Music Awards: Performer of the Year (Agent Fresco), Vocalist of the Year (Arnór Dan Arnarson) and Rock Album of the Year (A Long Time Listening).
But what the critics now proclaim audiences have known ever since they heard Eyes of a Cloud Catcher on the radio 3 years ago. Before it was even released, the band played this song at their first Iceland Airwaves in 2008, staring out in disbelief at a sea of swaying hands as the entire audience sang the chorus back to them, a cappella. That tribute of affection, now a ritual at every performance, caused a blogger at Airwaves 2010 to write:
"Seriously, this band is so impressive and the way the entire room sings along to their stunning Eyes Of A Cloud Catcher is a moment that'll live long in the memory of all here." (Kerrang blog, Airwaves 2010)
Agent Fresco are:
Arnór Dan Arnarson: vocals
Hrafnkell Örn Guðjónsson: drums / percussion
Vignir Rafn Hilmarsson: bass / upright bass
Þórarinn Guðnason: guitar / piano / programming
Official Website: www.agentfresco.is
Angst
Agent Fresco Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When will they reach reset?
Detest this helpless lull of fear
Beset the angst in tears
Forevermore leave my heart
Leave my heart
The lyrics of Agent Fresco's song "Angst" portray a deep sense of emotional turmoil and vulnerability. The opening lines, "These words wear subtle wreaths of sweat, when will they reach reset?" suggest a struggle to find solace or resolution. The use of "wreaths of sweat" evokes an image of a burden or weight carried by the words themselves. The desire for a reset implies a longing for a fresh start or a release from the current state of distress.
The next line, "Detest this helpless lull of fear, beset the angst in tears," further emphasizes the overwhelming feeling of helplessness and despair. The mention of fear being in a lull suggests a temporary calm before it resurfaces with greater intensity. The phrase "beset the angst in tears" conveys a struggle to overcome or confront the inner turmoil, as tears become a manifestation of that angst.
The closing lines, "Forevermore leave my heart, leave my heart," indicate a plea for the emotional pain to subside. The repetition of "leave my heart" intensifies the desire for relief, emphasizing a longing to be free from the emotional burden. In essence, the lyrics of "Angst" convey a powerful and raw expression of inner turmoil and the yearning for emotional release.
Line by Line Meaning
These words wear subtle wreaths of sweat
These spoken words are burdened with hidden signs of anxiety and tension.
When will they reach reset?
When will these words find a way to relieve the built-up pressure and start fresh?
Detest this helpless lull of fear
Strongly dislike this state of being trapped in a powerless calm filled with fear.
Beset the angst in tears
Overwhelm and envelop the distressing feeling of anxiety with tears.
Forevermore leave my heart
Permanently depart from my heart and free it from the burdens it carries.
Leave my heart
Just leave, let go, and abandon the emotional weight on my heart.
Writer(s): Thorarinn Gudnason, Arnor Dan Arnarson
Contributed by Mackenzie I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sidney Smith
Well that's probably one of the best songs I've ever heard, seems longer than it is when listening.
Black Sail Pass - Guitar Covers
0:50 This must be how all metal sounds to non-metal listeners.
Black Sail Pass - Guitar Covers
@Milk Honestly, I wish they used their heavier side a lot more (like in the Agent Fresco EP) because they're great at it.
Milk
The best thing is that they never sound like a stereotypical metal band. The way they use the screaming in the context of the album is phenomenal. I don't believe there is any screaming at all until this part of the album, and the whole thing is an emotional build up to this point. The writing is on another level.
Günther
+PairInstabilityType lol your so right... love it anyhow though
Fuckyourselfgoogle
this song sounds like a panic attack feels
Milk
This song is the perfect example of musical payoff. When you reach this point in the album after numerous (comparably) mellow songs, they hit you with an unfathomable weight that only lasts for under 2 minutes, and immediately go into the softest song in the album. I don't think there is any other modern album with a climax this powerful.
bobsmith93
Ebb and Flow by The Contortionist is an awesome climax of a song with a good buildup during the rest of the album
Sebatman
Drums + bass = pure gold
Thelema
This sounds fucking huge live.