Holissstik Realize Haunting Vision on “Reoccurring Dreams”

No matter how his genius takes shape, Tor-Helge Skei remains one of the most consistent and surprising artists in extreme music. As a founding member of the critically acclaimed Manes and Lethe, the Norwegian multi-instrumentalist and producer has pushed the boundaries of metal and electronic music. Now, he’s expanding his vision like never before with Holissstik, a new collective experiment that features fellow members of Manes and Lethe, underground legends and rising stars from the avant-garde.

“Holissstik’s innovative nature and mission of fostering collaboration through extreme risk set them apart and above”, New Noise wrote upon the announcement of the second single from the collective’s upcoming debut album and first in a trilogy.

Today, Holissstik are releasing the third and final advanced single from Chapter 1: This Endless Solitude. Though haunted by the current state of the world, “Reoccurring Dreams” possesses the collective spirit that makes Skei and his collaborators such a unified force.

“Collaboration is the heart and soul of Holissstik”, Skei says. “I’ve had the idea for ‘Reoccurring Dreams’ for quite some time. But, as is often the case, the song evolved, unplanned and uncontrolled, as Nik, Kristoffer, Eivind, Tor Arne and I worked on it together. While quite floaty, it twists off in unexpected directions. There’s even an Easter egg for fans of Manes and Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! to find!”.

Listen to “Reoccurring Dreams”: https://youtu.be/En4TBWuFaVo

Chapter 1: This Endless Solitude comes out August 14, 2026 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Stream: https://orcd.co/holissstiktheendlesssolitude

Available Formats:
CD Digipak with alternative cover
12” Vinyl (Black)
12” Vinyl (Clear, green and purple marbled)

As one could reasonably expect, This Endless Solitude began in 2024 with Tor-Helge Skei alone at his studio in Norway, revisiting unfinished songs from previous projects. The album’s latest single opens as if falling deep into a trance, blanketed beneath one long, dark cloud of synth. Over the following years, Skei salvaged bits and pieces of old recordings while building new components from scratch using his curious collection of recording software and homemade plug-ins. Jolted awake, “Reoccurring Dreams” tosses and turns between trip-hop, black metal, electronic and industrial.

Skei’s approach to production is still hands-on, but he’s invited outside influences to take control over Holissstik. “After I finished the initial sketches for the songs on This Endless Solitude, I wanted to hear where other people would take with them without being given any rules, limitations or restrictions”, he says. On “Reoccurring Dreams”, familiar faces appear in current and former Manes members Eivind Fjøseide and Tor-Arne Helgesen. But the single also introduces two new collaborators. With just the lift of a finger, Norwegian experimental musician Kristoffer Oustad conjures a melody that will ring in your head for days on end. And though it may be hard to believe, the distorted voice speaking as if from another world is none other than Kamra vocalist Nik Košar.

“I see trees, but they look like men, standing”, recalls Košar, twisting a verse from the Bible on its head. “I do not see myself, but I look, searching”. It’s not an admission of defeat, but a call to become something greater than ourselves.

“From the start, Holissstik felt like a serene light tap from somewhere beyond”, Košar says. “While I typically come from black metal, I love experimenting with different vocal styles. “‘Reoccurring Dreams’ strayed from the usual. The focus moved away from the vocals and their color into the rhythm, the words and the flow. The lyrics are inspired by a quote from the Bible, which I inverted. They don’t carry any religious meaning but reflect the current state of a blind society that struggles within the self-inflicted solitude born out of our removal from nature”.

“The whole creative process and its conclusion felt seamless and genius”, Košar continues. “Working with Holissstik felt like a puzzle where all the pieces are already laid before you and you know exactly where you fit. It was a surreal experience that I am thankful to be a part of”.

“Holissstik is like an audio ecosystem, where the collective is the creative force, the gardener and the nutrient”, Oustad says. “This is where you are the flower and the bee at the same time, both knowing and unaware of your impact and importance in the holistic process. I am proud and deeply honored to have been asked to be a part of it”.

“With Hollissstik, we’ve built something that transcends traditional metal by focusing on the ‘holos’ – the beauty of the complete, interconnected whole”, says Helgesen, who contributes drums to “Reoccurring Dreams”.

Fjøseide, who contributes guitar to the song, agrees. “Skei and I have worked together on music for more than 30 years. Together, we have a special chemical musical reaction that makes things very exciting”.

More praise for Holissstik and Tor-Helge Skei:

“Skei’s most dizzyingly ambitious project yet” – New Noise

“The legendary Tor-Helge “Cernunnus” Skei of Manes has distinguished himself as an unsurpassed genius — one of the few true innovators creating sonic masterpieces not only today, but for more than thirty years” – Metal Insider

“…a creative genius whose highly varied body of work has already left what will prove a lasting impact on the music world” – Sonic Perspectives

“[…]a pioneer of the Norwegian avant-garde formation” – Metal1

“Calling the Norwegian Black-Metal legend Tor-Helge Skei “prolific” might be an understatement” – Stalker Magazine