Kvelertak – “Meir”

The release of Meir, the new album from Norwegian scrotes Kvelertak is a big deal. Actually, when I say a big deal, I mean a big deal in the rock world. In the rock world, the hype surrounding this record is akin to the sort of hype afforded to bands like the Deftones. Yes, we’re talking frothing mouth levels of excitement and, if you’ve seen the band ripping venues a new one or had any exposure to their raucous Norwegian rock ‘n’ roll, then it’s hard not to understand why.

Meir is a noisy-as-fuck blast of high-energy rock music that is equal parts trashy rock, equal parts raw extreme metal. By rights, this unhealthy mix of blasting drums and pop-soaked filthy rock shouldn’t work but, fuck it, the hip-thrusting swagger they showcase on “Spring Fra Livet” is so cool it’s fucking obscene. Add to the mix a frontman who screams, sings, and spits his way through each track and you have in your hands an album that is the very essence of everything that rock ‘n’ roll isn’t these days.

And we’re very thankful for that because, I’m sure that, like us, you all thought the days of rock music being dangerous had gone to be replaced by mainstream-radio friendly sounds of today? Well, clearly nobody told Kvelertak who might display humble personas off stage but, put them in a room together and they morph into something truly unhinged and disturbing writing a song like “Nekrokosmos”, a track which starts off with an almost slutty “huuhh” but soon descends into almost black metal carnage. Then again, what the fuck else would you expect from Norwegians?

Be warned though, Meir isn’t an album you’ll grow to love. You’ll either get it straight away or you’ll hate it. Still, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that Kvelertak wouldn’t have it any other way and, if that “fuck it” attitude means there is still a little life left in the rock scene, well neither would we!

Track Listing:

01. Åpenbaring
02. Spring Fra Livet
03. Trepan
04. Bruane Brenn
05. Evig Vandrar
06. Snilepisk
07. Manelyst
08. Nekrokosmos
09. Undertro
10. Tordenbrak
11. Kvelertak

Run Time: 49:07
Release Date: March 25, 2013

Check out the song “Bruane Brenn”