The 2003 debut from these Norwegians, ‘Nekrotisk Inkvisition’, was a unique album in the black metal genre. Oozing tangible darkness and boasting one of the weirdest (and coolest) snare sounds imaginable, the name Koldbrann imprinted itself upon my mind from the very first listen. Brutal, abrasive and genuinely evil, their take on the genre really had me interested. It was with a little deflation then that I discovered 2006’s ‘Moribund’ to prove a slightly more evolved take on what had preceded it. Although still incorporating some of the essence of before, its greater emphasis on stirring riffs and flashes of swagger resulted in a less ravenous assault. Admittedly good, it just didn’t quite captivate me.
Six years is a long time between albums, and the question for myself had been if Koldbrann would return with a continuation of their last outing, or, more improbably, regress nine years to the approach of their debut. A quick listen to ‘Vertigo’ soon provides the answer, albeit a somewhat unexpected one. Unexpected, because the band here doesn’t sound very much at all like the one which created ‘Nekrotisk Inkvisition’ or ‘Moribund’. An indifferent riff, punchy kick drum and rotten vocal burst start things off. Immediately there is a Darkthrone feel minus the musical primitivism, with spectral riffs ultimately determining the pace, and some nice bass lines emerging through this otherworldly veil. The name of the track, ‘IntroVertigo’, says it all really; like having a swirling pit of despair gnawing away at your senses before some catastrophic event. In contrast to the subtle opener, which slows purposefully down towards its sinister climax, comes ‘Totalt Sjelelig Bankerott’. The first single of the album (and highly recommended by our editor, Pete) blasts out with caustic, twisting riffs before breaking into a concertedly punky spurt of black devilry. Following a shift into some slower funereal atmosphere – replete with detached oration – the track picks up pace again towards the end, and bleeds nothing but conviction throughout.
So, 2013, and a brand new Koldbrann. And as I haven’t so far mentioned it: the drum sound here is entirely normal. In a black metal sense, the word ‘normal’ or perhaps ‘conventional’ really seems to apply to ‘Vertigo’. At times, Satyricon is recalled, as in the predatory likes of ‘Drammen’ or again, in the unashamed, rousing form of ‘I Eklipsens Skimmer’. An aspect which furthers this comparison is Mannevond’s markedly different vocal delivery, which has shades of Satyr combined with latter day Nocturno Culto. Far from being a negative point, these more conventional features – like including some healthy doses of punk when necessary – work really well. The dirty bass and Motörhead-drunk-on-formaldehyde stylings of ‘Stolichnaya Smert’ certainly back this view up. Where the album truly surprises, however, is in its penchant for more avant-garde features. That last track, for instance, unexpectedly veers towards a section including whispy female vocal contributions, an organ of some sort and what I believe to be a violin. Then, ‘Goat Lodge’, which brings things back down to Earth with a deathlike thud following the eerie ‘Phantom Kosmonaut’, sees blackness bordering on blues with a pained, rueful guitar solo. In the context of this band’s past, ‘Vertigo’ does indeed prove disorientating in its unpredictability.
Arguably the greatest surprise is saved for last though. The intriguingly titled ‘Inertia Corridors’ abounds with more progressive leanings than I could ever have imagined Koldbrann coming out with. Boasting a considered, enduring song structure, and yet more keyboard/synth effects (having already played a part in ‘Phantom Kosmonaut’), the band ends their latest statement in curious and definitive fashion. On top of what has preceded it, this closing track appears to be the final nail in the coffin for yesteryear’s more single-minded version of the band.
Overall, ‘Vertigo’ is a versatile album, conveying a significantly wider range of expression than the band’s earlier work: from varied rock and black metal influences, to incorporating subtlety and a spirit of progression. It may not be as ‘true’ as ‘Moribund’ but a combination of innovation and lesser playing time certainly makes ‘Vertigo’ a more engaging album to my mind. It’s easy to imagine that not everyone will embrace this new version of the band (featuring two changes from 2006) or its direction, but personally, I feel that Koldbrann has pulled off the unexpected with real style.
(8/10 Jamie Wilson)
08/01/2013 at 5:23 pm
Sounds very interesting. Must say, I liked “Moribund”. And on a side note, “koldbrann” was one of the first words in Norwegian I learnt. It means gangrene. I’m sure it’ll be handy in a conversation one day …
09/01/2013 at 7:06 am
Yeah, I would definitely recommend checking it out, Andrew. Given your familiarity with the band’s past, I’m sure you will find it surprising. Didn’t mean to come across as being quite so down on ‘Moribund’ – still consider it a good album!
And any jokes about ‘Koldbrann’ sounding like a breakfast cereal certainly lose their flavour when you understand its true meaning. Wouldn’t fancy gangrene in any form as my first meal of the day, be it on toast or in a bowl with milk.
09/01/2013 at 9:31 am
Some tacky writer used the breakfast cereal gag on the single review in Iron Fist I noticed errrrrr. Great mag apart from that 🙂