### Keep Of Kalessin: Reptilian

#### 06/08/10 || Altmer

Ok, the first thing you notice about this album is that dear Keep of Kalessin cannot for the life of them come up with good song titles. “The Dragon Tower”? “Dragon Iconography?” That sounds like fucking power metal to me. And when something sounds like it could be power metal, it could sound gay. Fortunately for us, we all know what Keep of Kalessin play – a brand of black metal with more melodic, progressive and symphonic touches. A bit of gay pink wrinkles sprinkled over the top of a decidedly aggressive, extreme metal base sits very well with this reviewer. I am one of those who embrace my inner homo and so should all of you. The tr00 kvlt and br00tal dess metuhl shit bores and annoys me quickly mostly and I like a more melodic edge to my stuff. Keep of Kalessin provide me with one.

Some of the riffs here remind me of thrash metal and melodic death metal bands. I am pretty sure you guys all think that is a good thing. I think it is less of a good thing because ripping off Slayer or At the Gates is an old tradition among metal bands in the same way it is an old tradition for Catholic priests to rape their choirboys. I am not so sure I approve of some of the recycled riffs, but considering they work very well with the music I am inclined to forgive them because it just works. I’d rather have working music that is high quality than original riffing that is shit so they won’t get too many points detracted for that.

Instrumentally this shit is all fine. The drummer absolutely loves his blast beats (sigh, black metal) but I guess that is part of the style. The vocals are excellent and I rather dig them, both the rasps and the low growls. The guitars and bass are both tight and well-played and the guitars serve the material excellently. These songs all work with the right atmosphere and structure and the riffs are fucking memorable, even though they’ve been played before. The only thing that is slightly annoying is that sometimes the lead guitar playing takes a very power metal type of swagger to it and that doesn’t really work. Other than that, it’s all fine on this front.

The lyrics can be stupid though:Grant me the power of the dragon tower! Ehhh? I’m moving away from that part of this band very fast. Maybe next time, but this time the lyrics read like… power metal. That is kinda, very, lame. Anyhow, the lyrics are not very important so you can safely ignore it. Norwegians and their lyrics…

Keep of Kalessin are a good lot and I think they are going to continue to be just this and get their break if they keep on making this kind of material. It’s accessible enough for most people to like, but extreme enough to make the purists dig it (although this is not Gorgoroth or Marduk, definitely not). If you are into symphonic black metal, this is your purchase of the first half of 2010 sitting on the shelves waiting for you to go and pick it up.

Recommendation: A tidbit less gayery, but mostly, you’re doing great.

- Information
- Released: 2010
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.keepofkalessin.no
- Band
- Torbjørn Schei: vocals
- Arnt Grønbech: guitars
- Robin Isaksen: bass
- Vegar Larsen: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Dragon Iconography
- 02. The Awakening
- 03. Judgement
- 04. The Dragontower
- 05. Leaving the Mortal Flesh
- 06. Dark as Moonless Night
- 07. The Divine Land
- 08. Reptilian Majesty