Koldbrann - 'Vertigo' (2013)

Koldbrann

Vertigo

Season of Mist

2013

Koldbrann, Koldbrann... I can recall the name, but to be honest for some reasons I've never wanted to check out their music. But now the time has come, I am just listenning once again to their third album 'Vertigo' and thinking what I should write about it. 

And what plays Koldbrann? Well, black metal. Kinda raw black metal, although that with not-necro sound. Their music can be compared to Darkthrone (from their 'middle' period'), or more loosely to Carpathian Forest (I mean hear a certain attitude, not necessarily rock'n'roll elements). The material for sure have also a certain pugnacity, and many riffs are defenitely very (well...) cool - but at the same time they don't loose this dark atmosphere, typical in this genre. Honestly? It doesn't make very big impression. It's very hard to write something creative about the album, when every single track is played in more or less the same vain. Most of the songs have supposedly balls, the riffs are played in very norwegian style etc. so that listener who likes such music should be pleased. But I am not - for some reason the music can't stick into my head, and after the listenning mostly I don't remember it. Even the guests (inter alia Erlend Hjelvik from Kvelertak) don't bring to this music much - I don't feel that they diversify the music.

There are though some moments that are quite good, forcing you to headbanging - and amongst them there is the track 'Stolichnaya Smert'. I know that it is a kind of joke, but this black/punk melodies are really good! There are also other nice shots, like the first 'IntroVertigo' or 'Hjertets Holodomor' - but they are not as good as the the song about russian vodka hehe.

Fuck, I really don't know how I should rate 'Vertigo'. There are here some good moments (and one great), but the rest is really bleak. So I will write what's following: if you're a maniac of norwegian BM scene, you can check this music at your own risk. The rest can simply look for something different.

Rate: 6/10

Vladyka

Tracklist:

1. IntroVertigo

2. Totalt Sjelelig Bankorett

3. Hjertets Holodomor

4. Drammen

5. Stolichnaya Smert

6. Terminal Transnistrii

7. Phantom Kosmonaut

8. Goat Lodge

9. I Eklipsens Skrimmer

10. Sans Soleil

11. Interia Corridors

Total time: 48:06