Kvelertak – Endling

Written by on 12-10-2023 at 00:52.

The Kvelertak respect came to me relatively late and quite unexpectedly. I loved the band’s performance at Graspop in the summer of 2017 and since then I have been fascinated by the company’s own mix of punk, hard rock and metal. At the time it was a quite different band, both in line-up and musically. The two things are of course an extension of each other, because although Erlend Hjelvik did a great job as a singer, Ivar Nikolaisen suits me better. However, I already felt a break in style within the band at the time of Nattesferd, with a better sound and where the style simply became more accessible. Less out of the keg of more extreme metal, but without it becoming too commercial or redundant. This year it is the turn of album number five: Endling.

Actually, the itch started months ago, when the opening track of this album was released: Krøterveg Te Helvete. In any case, it had that fiery dedication that the band also managed to show on predecessor Splid. There are quite a few warm hard rock layers here that refer to the genre from AC/DC to ZZ Top, but where the punk vocals and drums can make it such a wonderfully catchy whole. If you like that style, there are some songs that stick around, like Motsols, Likvoke and Svart September. I also get a Turbonegro feeling more often than in the past with Kvelertak‘s style. A special mention for Fedrekult, which is perhaps closest to the older black ‘n’ roll style that the band was able to present in the past. Wonderfully presented!

Yet these Norwegians also experiment on some tracks, although that was not really necessary for me. Døgeniktens Kvad clearly sounds more varied, with harder parts and drags. Due to its heaviness it deviates somewhat from the ‘easy listening’ that you are presented with on this record. That feeling will certainly also come to you with the special dynamics in Skoggangr. I find it difficult to find my way in this mix of harder punk and metal with summer-sweet guitar tunes and drum rolls. The title track also feels a bit like an odd one out on this record, with Ivar who remains quite clean vocally and musically shows a very good Kvelertak, certainly compared to the first albums, but also compared to all predecessors. A bit too sticky for me.

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In my opinion, this does not transcend Splid, but the majority of this album goes down like a cake. Maybe too sweet at times, for some. It doesn’t bother me, because you will always keep that more aggressive side of the band and if you ask me, it just fits together well. At certain times, however, these Norwegians keep a ‘stranglehold’ on you, where you systematically lose your way and the mixture of roughness and sweets simply becomes more difficult to swallow. This way the band name will of course remain well chosen, but it means that I will filter some tracks from my playlist on Endling. That being said, the rest of this album is simply wonderful and well worth your vinyl purchase!

Score:

85/100

Label:

Rise Records, 2023

Tracklisting:

  1. Krøterveg Te Helvete
  2. Fedrekult
  3. Likvoke
  4. Motsols
  5. Døgeniktens Kvad
  6. Endling
  7. Skoggangr
  8. Paranoia 297
  9. Svart September
  10. Morild

Line-up:

  • Vidar Landa – Gitaar
  • Bjarte Lund Rolland – Gitaar, zang, synth
  • Marvin Nygaard – Bas
  • Maciek Ofstand – Gitaar, zang
  • Ivar Nikolaisen – Zang
  • Håvard Takle Ohr – Drum

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