EP REVIEW: Den 6. Massedød (Manna Fra En Annen Himmel) – Koldbrann

Of the many bands that came out of the Norwegian black metal scene in the wake of the explosive and dramatic establishment of the scene in the early 90s, KOLDBRANN are perhaps one of the very best, and arguably most underrated. Right from the release of their debut album, 2003’s Nekrotisk Inkvisition, it was clear that the band were more than simply a pale imitation of classic second wave acts, combining an icy tone with punchy, hard rock swagger which made them a force to be reckoned with both live and on record. The two following records, 2006’s Moribund and 2013’s Vertigo, further cemented the band’s growing legendary status, but a long period of creative dormancy in the wake of the release of their third album has left many black metal fans waiting with anticipation for its follow up. Den 6. Massedød (Manna Fra En Annen Himmel), the band latest 7″, marks their first new material in a decade, and sets an ominous tone and serves as an excellent and belligerent indication of what to expect from the band’s long-awaited fourth full-length.

Den 6. Massedød (Manna Fra En Annen Himmel) starts proceedings with a coarse and abrasive slab of black metal built upon jarring chords, chaotic flourishes and searing vocals that carve through the mix and accentuate the grating, discordant edge that is present in the music. It takes a coarse and harsh approach to a classic Norwegian black metal formula, punctuating the cacophony with powerful hooks and bleak leads, lurching between blistering intensity and melancholic mid-paced sections with ease, and making for an incredibly eclectic and visceral piece of music.

Inhumanitær Inngripen is a punchier but nonetheless bestial effort that leans more prominently into the confident hard rock swagger that was peppered liberally throughout the preceding track. It makes for a far punchier, black ‘n’ roll-tinged take on the noxious, belligerent style of the last track, blending together sharp black metal riffs with snarling, punk-inflected energy to provide a tighter, more streamlined iteration of that song’s sound, with an excellent, soaring solo and biting passages making for a leaner, dark conclusion to this record.

If these two songs are anything to go by, KOLDBRANN haven’t mellowed with age, instead getting much more dissonant and feral than even some of their most celebrated work. With their first new piece of music in almost 11 years, the band have re-asserted themselves as one of the undisputed masters of Norwegian black metal, cramming more frenetic moments and musical twists into just two songs than many of their contemporaries could manage on a whole album. Hopefully, this more acerbic and sinister sound will be explored in greater depth on the band’s upcoming album, which, if this is anything to go by, could be well worth the 11-year wait.

Rating: 9/10

Den 6. Massedød (Manna Fra En Annen Himmel) is out now via Dark Essence Records.

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