Kvelertak - Meir

The debut Kvelertak album was out of this world. It really was. It is still one of the best albums I have ever heard, I would even go as far as saying it is in my top 10 albums of all time. Sure, you are reading this and thinking 'bullshit', but this isn't about what others would rate it. This is how I rate. I listened to that album in my car, at home, just about anywhere, every day for about a month. That is how fucking good it is.

Now the follow up, 'Meir', is here. No doubt the expectation is gargantuan and in a way, that is going to hurt this album. I have taken the fair approach here and didn't set my expectations too high, because quite frankly, it would be near impossible to equal or better the debut album. Anyone expecting that, well, you set the bar too high.

To address that matter straight away, well, 'Meir' is no where as good as the debut. It is probably a little over half as good. But consider how BRILLIANT the debut was and that might give you some idea how 'Meir' fits in. It is still an exceptional album, following on from the debut but perhaps not as daring and not as mixing of all the elements from then.

The three core styles from the debut are here on 'Meir', rock, hardcore and those shades of black metal. The small doom/stoner moments of the debut are gone. That is a little disappointing to these ears but there are still enough chops and changes in the songs, plenty of catchy riffs  and melodies and perhaps more shades of black metal this time around that I am still very impressed.

And sure, when I say black metal, I don't mean a feeling of coldness, grimness and so forth. The tremolo riffing (eg: 'Trepan') or blasting (eg: 'Spring fa livet' and 'Snilepisk') brings the black metal to mind, only this is more like laying out a welcome mat to someone curious about black metal. One who stands on the outside of the forest under a sweltering summer sun before stepping into the forest and realizing they have been deceived as they discover it is all really cold, black and grim. I would even say the vocals are much dirtier this time around. Those snarls are sick!

There is still so much energy executed on 'Meir', it is so distinctly done too. Like one huge fist with great strike power. It is fierce! You can really feel the venom in a song like 'Snilepisk' and 'Nekrokosmos' for example. So much tearing away at things. What Kvelertak also manages to craft really well are those rock like 'anthems'. Listen to songs like 'Evig vrandrar' or 'Kvelertak' and imagine the response they would get from a packed stadium. No doubt they would have the crowd roaring 'Kvelertak' during the encore.

Sure, there is plenty of blasting, plenty of wicked lead work mixed with sharp tremolo riffing, catchy rocking riffs and walls of distortion but where it is unpredictable is you just don't know when things are going to change up. Listen to 'Nekrokosmos' or 'Tordenbrak' and there will be moments there where you think 'well I didn't see that coming...'.

Overall, on its own, 'Meir' is fantastic. Really, you couldn't come up with a better follow up. No doubt they will be catapulted even higher to stardom with this and understandably so. Not much more can be said.

Ikil