ALBUM REVIEW: Splid – Kvelertak

KVELERTAK have never been a band to play by any set of rules. Since they first burst forth from Norway onto the wider scene with their self titled debut opus, KVELERTAK have worked to satisfy their own creative need, in the process producing some of the most vital blackened punk rock n’ roll ever seen or heard, and their live shows proved the band to be a chaotic bundle of wonderfully uncontrollable energy. With the departure of long time vocalist Erlend Hjelvik and the introduction of new blood with Ivar Nikolaison, Splid isn’t just the band’s fourth record, but by their own admission some of the most creative stuff they’ve put out. 

Indeed, Splid has a broad and colourful palette even by KVELERTAK standards. From the swelling introduction of Rogaland to the punk rock crunch of Crack of Doom, KVELERTAK sound utterly glorious on Splid. This is probably down to the magic touch of Kurt Balou, but whatever the case, this record is crystal clear and allows the bands more flowery passages to sound as massive as the hammer heavy moments that are also present. Necrosoft swings wildly with blistering blast beats, something that proves the band to still like to throw down with the rest of them. But these moments are far between, with most coming towards the tail end of the record, and often being sandwiched between huge arena choruses and whatever else KVELERTAK want to throw at the listener. Everything is in pretty good balance though, with every sound and influence used to compliment the other. 

Fanden ta dette hull! is perhaps one of the most interesting songs the band have written, and alongside Delirium tremens, is one of the longest songs on the record. The Norwegian troupe use the long time well, tastefully fitting in as much as they can into the song, giving it a fist pounding first act before erupting into some Ride The Lightening–era thrash and rounding it off with some folk punk finale. The latter takes a more reserved approach, and similar to Tevling, Delirium tremens opens with a 80’s prog feel before truly dissolving intro utter chaos, with frantic black metal riffs descending around the listener and Ivar showing off a dynamic vocal range that differs from his singing earlier in the record. 

KVELERTAK really flex their creative muscles at every opportunity throughout Splid. It’s a real smorgasbord of musical diversity and as such can be quite hard to digest. There is something truly commendable about what the band is doing this far into their career, literally refusing to slow down and instead speed up their growth to produce a record that boasts no two moments sounding the same, let alone songs. It’s a lot, and the band seemingly don’t seem to give a shit about it, which is part of the appeal. With tracks like Bratebran providing more foot stomping rock moments, it’s easy to forget that in a few songs time the band will be ragging you about with raging, near grindcore levels of intensity. It’s a wild ride that requires a level of patience to handle the sometimes short attention span of the band, but oh boy is it worth it. 

Because of the diverse tapestry of sound present throughout Splid it boasts multiple and rewarding relistens. Every time you spin this record it’ll probably gift you a new favourite song thanks to the wild and frantic ride KVELERTAK take the listener on front start to finish. With as much MASTODON influence as there is DARKTHRONE and CONVERGE, Splid is a fantastically rich record that rewards those willing to give it the time and attention it deserves. 

Rating: 9/10

Splid is out now via Rise Records.

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