Vreid: Welcome Farewell (2013)

Expectations

With success come expectations. Vreid’s incredible V was lavished with praise from all corners; making my own top 10 of 2011 was probably the least significant. I don’t envy the position where the Norwegian black ‘n’ rollers found themselves in following that success. Do you follow it with more of the same, cursing yourself to the handicap of easy comparisons and betting on your ability to become even better (Master of Puppets)? Or, do you change direction (South of Heaven)?

Vreid certainly did not change direction. For the uninitiated, Vreid’s brand of black ‘n’ roll is the super-slick kind typically found on Indie Recordings, but it would be equally at home with Century Media or Roadrunner. The “for fans of” sticker would include Satyricon in big and bold, with Borknagar and Dark Fortress in smaller print. They can re-use the leftover stickers on their latest release.

God Seed: I Begin (2012)

So You Do at Last

Review by Metallattorney. He is the law.

Any discussion of God Seed will necessarily include some discussion about the band's origins. The album title here is particularly apt because of this. God Seed is made up of King ov Hell and Gaahl, formerly of black metal psychos Gorgoroth. In actuality, these two members attempted to carry forward with the name Gorgoroth after splitting from Infernus. A lengthy court battle ensued with Infernus actually being granted the rights to the name Gorgoroth. In the meantime, God Seed formed for a couple of months and then disbanded when Gaahl retired temporarily. King used the material written for God Seed for a project with Dimmu Borgir's Shagrath which was called Ov Hell. Gaahl eventually returned and God Seed was formed.

God Seed has already released a live album from Wacken and a single. This is the debut full-length however and the first exposure that a lot of people will get to the band. Expectations are certainly high as Gorgoroth has been a stalwart in the Norwegian black metal scene for a very long time.

Solefald: Norrøn Livskunst (2010)

Folk Metal Week: Part 5

Review

My first introduction to the avant-garde Viking metal band Solefald was in their double-concept albums going by the name An Icelandic Odyssey. There were a few songs on those albums that completely blew me away, but mostly they were just headscratchers. (Do I really need to hear somebody literally just reading a poem in a tongue I don't know?) But their seventh full-length, Norrøn Livskunst, came highly recommended by anyone who'd heard it, i.e., those who didn't write the band off after their last two albums.

After hearing it, I understand exactly why it was recommended. The album has everything I ever want in music: catchy riffs and vocal hooks, great atmosphere, and well-executed experimentation. Usually, you have to pick one of the three, but not so here, and it's all packaged together into a cohesive whole deserving of being called a true album.

The music is at its base Viking metal, very close to the black metal end of the spectrum. The vocals are both clean and rasped, with mostly Norwegian lyrics, and synths as well as other instruments add drama. A track-by-track analysis seems appropriate here, given that the whole thing tells a story (musically at least, if not lyrically). Opener "Song Til Stormen" is slow, dramatic, and emotional, with the ICS Vortex-like clean vocals providing extremely memorable melody. The song sets the stage before the title track cuts in with fast black metal, mixing rasps and clean vocals and allowing synths to substitute for bass in part. Following that is "Tittentattenteksti", which includes female guest vocals in a variety of styles, from beautiful clean singing, to a snarky voice that makes me think J-punk (if there is such a thing), to some almost Jonathan Davis-like scatting. Then "Blackabilly / Stridsljod" is exactly what the title implies, suggesting an entirely new genre that I want to hear. The 9+ minute centerpiece "Eukalyptustreet" brings things down a notch, relying on understated drums and synths, whispers and clean vocals for over 5 minutes before the guitars even come in, and even then it's an understated beauty of a song which allows saxophone and piano to take the forefront. "Raudedauden" and "Vitets Vidd I Verdi" are in large part Immortal-esque but with unmistakable Solefald layered on top (and check out the vocal hooks in the latter). "Hugferdi" has a wah-wah solo perfectly out of left field (even in this album). Finally, "Waves over Valhalla" serves as the dramatic climax to the story before the denoument of "Til Heimen Yver Havet".

It's all built on a solid viking metal core with a cohesive style, but each and every song has something unusual it brings to the table. And they all have a memorable riff or melody, or a number of both, to draw you in and keep you coming back.



The Verdict: If I had heard this album last year, it would have made my top albums of the year. It is astoundingly good, and has everything I look for in music. A career-crowning achievement deserving of a 5 out of 5 star rating.

Vreid: V (2011)

Review

Once upon a time there was Windir, a band which released four full-length albums. Vreid was formed from what remained after their frontman died, and went from there. If you consider the two as one band, V (the fifth Vreid album) is essentially their ninth full-length. Yet it's my first exposure to the band. And I am very, very impressed.

V finds the band playing black 'n' roll, a style which has been attempted many times with only rare success. Satyricon may be the most well-known practitioners of the style, but Vreid doesn't sound all that much like them. Instead it sounds more like their labelmates Borknagar, especially Universal. They share a classic 1970's rock feel, with less emphasis on clean singing and synths and more emphasis on the traditional tools of black metal.

The riffwriting and songwriting on this album are incredible. Opener "Arche" and "Fire on the Mountain" are only two examples of songs which will stick in your head long after you finish the album. But that's just a small part of it. "The Sound of the River" is perhaps the highlight of the album, with an amazing bassline/guitar riff combination, and epic "The Others and the Look" has no shortage of memorable parts. There is some clean singing on about half the tracks, but harsh rasps are the tool of choice. There are also some synths, and even a synth-driven section to the album's epic centerpiece, but they are restrained enough to keep it from derailing the album. There simply is not a weak track, not even a weak moment, on this entire album.

Pair excellent writing with great performances and production, and you have a recipe for a perfect album. The performances are top-notch, with each band member pulling his weight and playing with the feeling appropriate to black 'n' roll. The production serves it well, never being overpolished--so it doesn't lose the rawness all rock music needs--but instead allowing you to hear every instrument (including the bass) throughout the album.

Now is the part of the review where I'm supposed to say something negative about the album. I guess you'll have to forgive me, because I can't find anything.



The Verdict: Vreid have perfected black 'n' roll, combining the tools of black metal with the great songwriting of 70's rock and early heavy metal. V is the first real contender for album of the year. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

Enslaved: Axioma Ethica Odini (2010)

Review

Like all the other big names of the second-wave Norwegian black metal scene, Enslaved have evolved into something much more than simple black metal. Since 2003's Below the Lights, they've taken a decidedly progressive direction, positioning themselves as Norway's answer to Sweden's Opeth. But besides Opeth, can any band reliably put forth album after album of mind-blowingly great material, and continue to evolve twenty years into their career?

Yes. Axioma Ethica Odini does not disappoint.

Any worries about the band going "soft" with all the clean vocals on Vertebrae are quickly swept away by opener "Ethica Odini". It's serious black metal, but with a memorable melody. The clean vocals come in a bit later, but they serve as a counterpoint, emphasizing the ugliness rather than relieving it. The rhythm of "Raidho" keeps it going strong and metal, so that by the time "The Beacon" ends, you need the slight atmospheric reprieve of "Axioma". "Singular" is another highlight along the way, with a riff that reminds me of Dimmu Borgir at their best, and closing out the album is "The Lightening"--easily one of the best songs I've heard all year.

No, nothing about this album disappoints. It's got all the ugly metal, and just a touch of pretty melodies to make it seem all that much uglier. The songs are memorable and all the chords hit the right emotional notes. And after nearly two decades, Enslaved just keeps getting better.

The Verdict: With this album, Enslaved has solidified its position as one of the premier metal bands of today, with reliably excellent albums and music that remains relevant no matter what year it is. I give Axioma Ethica Odini 5 out of 5 stars.

Shining: Blackjazz (2010) Review

Shining is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band with close ties to black metal band Enslaved. Their fifth album Blackjazz came out earlier this year.

Their sound is a bizarre mix of metal, jazz, industrial, and noise. They often use strange time signatures and abrupt transitions, but at the same time they know how to turn this collection of oddities into an excellent groove (see "Fisheye"). There is a lot of variety: Tracks like "Healter Skelter" really show off the sax, while "Blackjazz Deathtrance" is (like its name suggests) in the trance genre.

When it all works, it's excellent, like the opener "The Madness and the Damage Done, Pt. 1". Sometimes, though, it seems thrown together haphazardly (like their cover of "21st Century Schizoid Man"), and sometimes the tracks drag on too long ("Omen" or "Exit Sun, Pt. 1"). In all, though, it's much more good than bad, and you have to expect at least a little randomness in this kind of music.



The Verdict: Shining is a very strange band who have created a very strange and experimental album that's surprisingly listenable, though obviously not for everyone. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Kvelertak: Kvelertak (2010) Review

Much has been said (by me and many others) about record labels trying to sign the next Mastodon. They find someone who sounds like Mastodon, package it up, and if possible they slap on some John Dyer Baizley cover art. The problem is, the "next Mastodon" isn't what they really want--they want the next band to make an impact. That band won't sound like anybody else; they'll be original.

Indie Recordings (1349/Enslaved/Satyricon/etc.) may have found that band.

I picked this one up completely blind. I never heard of them, but the Baizley cover art caught my eye and the song titles were all in Norwegian--a big plus. After I listened to it, I was blown away.

I don't know whether they don't sound like anyone else, or if they sound like everyone else. This is an eclectic mix, the kind you can usually only find in Finland or a few small corners of the US. It's got strong influence from the bluesy prog-sludge of Baroness (very southern-sounding, too), but there's also a lot of black metal, hard rock, stoner metal, and even a smattering of thrash. And all of these influences are turned into something fun by going through a filter of hardcore punk attitude. Maybe they're the next Mastodon, but then again they could be the next Motörhead. (Or, possibly, Faith No More, but heavier.)

Oh yeah, and all the lyrics are Norwegian.

This album should not exist. Music this punk-influenced shouldn't be progressive, but it is. Norsemen should not be able to play convincing melodies from the American South, but they do. And anything this eclectic should seem schizophrenic, but it doesn't. Everything blends seamlessly and beautifully together, held together by fantastic drumming and sheer force of will. It's catchy too, so album highlights like "Ulvetid", "Offernatt", and "Liktorn" go from tremolo picking to bluesy solos without any disconnect.

There are some gang vocals in here, but they actually don't detract from anything. I don't understand why they made their first video from "Mjød", though--it's a good enough song, but it's also the weakest (and punkest) one on the album. Instead, enjoy "Offernatt" to give you a taste of what Kvelertak is all about:



The Verdict: Kvelertak are easily the frontrunners for debut of the year with their self-titled album. Imagine a mohawk-sporting Odin astride a mastodon, waving a Confederate flag. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I just have one suggestion: play it with the volume at 11.

One caveat: I wish these guys all the best and want them to make many, many more albums in the future. On the other hand, I don't want them to make such an impact that they spawn a legion of imitators. There are so many things that could have gone wrong (but didn't) that anyone else trying it would likely be an unbearable mess.

Borknagar: Universal (2010) Review

If a black metal band had toured arenas with the likes of Kansas or Genesis in the 70's, that band would have sounded like Borknagar's Universal. With their huge dramatic sound, catchy choruses, and prominent electric organ, it wouldn't have been too out of place on my dad's 8-track player.

The sound is highly melodic, and has all the infectious drama of those much-loved-and-maligned 70's classic rock bands. Clean vocals take precedence over growls and electric organ over guitar, and there are softer sections to every track. The sound is definitely progressive, but at every turn they clearly put memorable songwriting before showing off. The production is top-notch as well, with every instrument audible at all times.

With the extensive use of keyboards (especially on "Fleshflower") it doesn't fit most people's expectations of a metal band. Every instrument does get a chance to shine, though, including the bass and drums, and they still manage an all-out assault on tracks like "Havoc" and parts of "Worldwide". The clean vocals are a bit nasally (not unlike Mastodon), so not everyone will like them (the inclusion of former vocalist ICS Vortex on closer "My Domain" makes the vocals seem worse by comparison).

I happen to like the vocals as well as the keyboard. The electric organ is a vastly under-used instrument in metal, but it's seeing a surge in popularity with groups like Opeth and Cathedral using it. The only real complaint I have is the most amorphous one possible: Even though nearly all the tracks are great, and the sound is consistent, it doesn't feel like a cohesive album. It's an inexplicable complaint, but there it is. One improvement would have been to make "My Domain" a bonus track instead of "Coalition of the Elements" and "Loci" (the latter makes a much better closer), but this wouldn't completely fix the issue.



The Verdict: Though I'm not familiar with their earlier work, it gave me the distinct impression of an accomplished metal band's foray into more accessible material. Like Soilwork's Sworn To a Great Divide or Metallica's self-titled album, it will be divisive among metal fans, but provide an easy starting point to the band's catalog. I know I'll be exploring their earlier work. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Keep of Kalessin: Reptilian (2010) Review

You may already be familiar with the story of black metal band Keep of Kalessin entering the Eurovision contest (something like an international battle of the bands crossed with American Idol). They went to great pains to explain that they weren't selling out. I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, because I subscribe to the philosophy of Dethklok's Nathan Explosion. When Dethklok were performing a coffee jingle, a reporter asked them if they were selling out. He responded, "We are here to make coffee metal. We will make everything metal. Blacker than the blackest black, times infinity!"

As I said, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt. But the song entered in the contest, "The Dragontower", sounds like NSYNC in corpsepaint, or to be a little more generous, perhaps a gothic Linkin Park. I have a hard time believing this song was not intentionally crafted to reach a larger audience, and as a result it is terrible.

But the rest of their new album, Reptilian, makes up for that trainwreck. At its core, this is Dimmu Borgir-style black metal, with toned-down keyboards instead of the Prague Philharmonic. The DB style is most evident on the hard-driving "The Awakening". But the sound is also clearly influenced by power metal: there are rasp/sung choruses on several tracks, like the slower "Dark As Moonless Light", and a lot of power metal style guitar embellishments on tracks like "Judgement" [sic]. Even the fantasy-themed lyrics are present throughout, and "Leaving the Mortal Flesh" has swordfighting sounds in the background.

It's a very strange juxtaposition, and works at times, like the killer opening track "Dragon Iconography". At other times, though, it seems a little disjointed and awkward. And that awful "The Dragontower" comes in at a really bad time, disrupting the album's flow.



The Verdict: Keep of Kalessin has a unique, power metal influenced black metal style, and they clearly have talent. When it works, it's really amazing, and when it doesn't, it's still pretty good. But the flow is disrupted midway through by the single, and their authenticity will definitely be questioned. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.