Kvelertak Does it Again

Kvelertak hails from Noway, but if you're expecting corpse paint, guess again. A fitting description might be 'party band,' incorporating hard rock, punk, along with hints of thrash and black metal. Their 2011 self-titled debut LP (which translates to 'stranglehold') was wildly successful, and some have their doubts about their ability to recreate the magic....

As if the expectations were not high enough, the band worked with Kurt Ballou at Godcity Studios on their new album, called Meir (literally 'more) and have been signed to Roadrunner in the US. A major label signing often leads to a watering down of the original sound and plastic production values in order to be more radio friendly. Fortunately, Kurt Ballou's hallmarks are intact here... organic sounding drums, raw guitars, and crisp, balanced vocals. It's evident that he did not want to impose any radical changes over the first LP.

So, introductions aside, how do the new songs fare? I would emphatically assert that Meir is everything the first album is, and perhaps more. From start to finish, like the original, there are no unlistenable tunes, and on this one, the song structures seem to be more developed.

Check out this first track... the big riffs we love are in full force! Fors fans of death n' roll era Entombed.

Songs 6-8 are a great 'run' similar to the first three songs of the debut LP. These could be the best on the entire record. 

With Snilepisk, an interesting Middle-Eastern vibe is introduced around the 1:40 mark, and the band effortlessly integrates it into their signature flair.

On Manelyst, we're treated with a great thrash metal riff at 2:15. This song is definitely my favorite.

Nekrokosmosis another standout song. What I like about it is an almost metalcore moment around the 2:00 mark, and a long section of tremolo picking and blast beats that could be mistaken for true black metal if it were a bit more lo-fi, around the 4:30 mark. It's mesmerizing!

We even have what could be mistaken for an AC/DC song with the self-titled closing number. How the band can culminate all of these styles into the catchy final product defines explanation. There certainly is an X-factor involved. What's most encouraging is that a refusal to sell-out or drastically change on this album signals a slow development, to what could be even better in the future, while not betraying their original vision.

Ultimately, this is the perfect soundtrack to speed home to from a Friday workday, or a precursor to painting the town red on the weekend!

Review score 4.5/5

RAWK!!!