It’s off to Austria today for some Post-Black Metal modernity with Karg. This band have an impressive slew of releases dating back to 2008. That said, this is certainly my first interaction with them. That interaction comes through the bands eighth full length release Resignation. Will this AOP Records album take me to a world of Black Metal bliss or leave me crying for the old ways?
First off if you don’t like long songs then I’d leave now, the shortest on the album is still almost ten minutes. Beginning with Was Bleibt the Post-Rock/ Metal and Ambient influence slowly flows in. Highly Prog influenced and drawn out, epic and full of arena filling delivery. When the vocals drop it almost shatters the gentleness. There is an almost Hardcore edge to the vocals which I’m not entirely sure works, in some way it’s so out of place that it does work but is that really a good thing? In fact it’s really the vocals that let the whole package down, musically the record is striking but the vocals are far too jumbled and unsuited. EBBE//FLUT comes in with a lot more raw energy and Blackened Metal fury. The vocals are more aggressive and far more suited however the bad taste of the first song lingers.
They say don’t judge a book (or album) by its cover but personally I think you can garner quite a lot from a cover. In this case the purple and colourful hues are certainly indicative of the all-encompassing, diverse and modern drive of Karg. Grab Der Wellen for example is like hopping in a time machine with Deafheaven and experiencing the future of Black Metal to come, Post-Post-Black Metal if you will. The vocals continue to blight the album though. As a one-off song they seem innovative and forward thinking but after a while they’re frankly annoying, the equivalent to someone talking to you during a gig. Once the final track rolls in I’m all but done in with futuristic Black Metal and clamoring to get back to 90s Norway.
Perhaps I’m being dramatic but then again I would say I’m being objective and fair. Instrumentally I think Karg have a lot going for them. It might not be overtly awe-inspiring music but it is enjoyable and full of Post-Metal might and songwriting prowess. Yet again I must attest that the vocals just sit way too high in the mix and range from mildly irritating to outright obnoxious. Maybe it will work for you but for me it is far too much.
(6/10 George Caley)
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