Kolossus

While Keep of Kalessin's 'Kolossus' definitely has it's moments, from the first listen onwards (if you ever do listen to it again) it is evident that the band is trying for a more accessible and marketable sound, which in this case (though not always) causes the band to lose some of its greatest musical qualities. This can be seen first and foremost in Thebon's vocals, which range from being pretty good to rather horrid, depending on the track. I would like to believe that I'm more open to change and experimentation than most metalheads, but I also believe that it should be done wisely, without giving up the band's core components. Thebon certainly experiments on this album, attempting to growl, scream, shout, and even sing, all in one album. At times this works, such as the title track, but on many other songs he loses the evil, aggressive quality of his vocals that has been instrumental to the success of their earlier albums.

However, Thebon isn't the only member of the band guilty of this approach. Obsidian C is nearly as tasteless as Thebon at times, often sacrificing melody to promote a more aggressive approach to his playing. In the end he loses both, as the monotony of his riffs causes the listener to gradually lose interest in the current song. Yet Obsidian has also greatly improved his abilities as a soloist on this album, so the guitar playing is not entirely disappointing. You hardly ever get to hear Wizziac (which is a shame), so I have no opinions here on the bass playing here, except that I wish it were more exposed. Now on to the most talented member of the band. Even though I believe that Vyl is one of the more talented drummers in the extreme metal scene these days, he definitely overplays on this album. The technical abilities that he displays here simply demonstrate the rather sizable gap between him and the rest of the band members in terms of talent, causing the band as a whole to suffer greatly. There are passages where he simply decides to play blast beats over the rest of the band for minutes on end, which is definitely obnoxious. When Vyl adds more variation and fills to his playing (on the title track, for instance) it becomes much more engaging and noteworthy, yet he steals the show at these points as well.

Overall this album was rather disappointing, but there were still some moments of brilliance from time to time. 'A New Empire's Birth' is quick and aggressive, but suffers at points when the band members simply sound bored and rather forceful. 'Kolossus' is an interesting track in terms of drumming and vocals, but it can get rather repetitive over time. Finally, 'Ascendant' has mediocre vocals, but the drumming is decent and halfway through the song Obsidian provides a brilliant solo (I was pleasantly surprised to hear such a memorable solo coming from such an average guitarist). As a whole, the album is decent but suffers from a number of problems. Buy this if you feel the need, otherwise its only worth a listen or two.

Kolossus starts off with a fairly bland acoustic opener, leading into the next track which gets the metal started. Upon first listen, it’s not that bad, certainly not terrible. A slick, clean production and expertly played instruments all make the album an easy listen. Upon multiple listens, however, the riffs become heavily monotonous. Within each song they follow a cyclical pattern, repeating themselves an aggravatingly high number of times (and then lodge themselves into your brain for an eternity), while the album as a whole sounds like a series of variations based on a single riff. A riff no doubt gleaned from scraps left over from the much superior Armada.

Other than the monotony of the riffs, the mood conveyed by them is the second area of disappointment. Besides aggressive bits here and there, like the opening to The Rising Sun and parts in Warmonger, it feels as if the band wanted to make an epic, grandiose sound, with perhaps a bit of a Near Eastern tinge, which I believe they have accomplished, but it doesn’t really sound anything like black metal. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no fan of the retarded nekro-goat-moon bands spouting their brand of black metal as ‘kvlt’ and ‘trve,’ but a line has to be drawn separating what is and is not black metal. Kolossus honestly sounds like uninspired commercial ‘extreme’ metal in disguise as black metal. Or to put it another way, nothing on Kolossus sounds especially dark, evil, cold, or melancholic, all broad yet apt descriptors of what black metal as a musical genre aspires to sound like. The album has replaced such moods in favor of, dare I say, happy sounding riffs overflowing with cheesiness. Which is a shame, because monotonous riffs can be pulled off with the right atmosphere (that is to say, a darker one; see Burzum, Darkthrone), but such an atmosphere is clearly not what Keep of Kalessin had in mind.

While speaking of things cheesy, though, Thebon is an absolute abomination on vocals. His performance is just laughably bad. I’m not sure what possessed him to do a cross between yelling and growling (maybe he thought it would compliment the epic cheesiness of the guitars, and he succeeded if that’s the case), but it doesn’t sound good. Case in point, The Mark of Power. The song itself is a throwaway filler, but the vocals solidify its mediocrity. On display is a plethora of annoying sounds emanating from Thebon’s throat, whose only purpose seems to be to urge the listener on in wishing to strangle said gullet.

But it can’t be all bad, right? Strangely, it’s not. The album’s one saving grace is the insanely talented Vyl, who is easily one of the fastest yet technically proficient drummers in metal today. It’s a shame his talents are put to waste by such a lousy effort by rest of the band. Ironically, though, all the boring riffs provided by Obsidian C are somehow elevated because of the drumming. They also benefit from the aforementioned good production. Double bass sections sound that much faster; blast beats that much more intense.

Judging by the previous reviews, one might be led to believe that this is some pretty amazing black metal. I for one don’t hear it. But if you don't believe me, compare this album to Keep of Kalessin's first. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were composed by two different people. The rabid ferocity of Through Times of War, heard even on Armada to a lesser extent, is no where to be found here. I wish Keep of Kalessin would return to their black metal sound of old (when guys like Attila and Frost did sessions with them for chrissake), but that's apparently not happening, as Reptilian is shaping up to be even worse than this album. I suppose Kolossus is decent for an apathetic listen or two, especially to hear the drumming, but it certainly has no longevity.

Fourth album "Kolossus" from 'forward-thinking' Norwegian Black Metallers Keep of Kalessin represents one of my most eagerly awaited releases of 2008 thanks to their previous effort "Armada" being one of my favourites of 2006. Despite a steady rise in profile over this time it is fair to say they probably aren't quite where they deserve to be - for whatever reason I don't see their name on too many festival line-ups this summer and in general the KoK name hasn't appeared in the Metal world as often as one would expect for a band that produced such a scintillating previous effort. Let's see if "Kolossus" can help change that...

After the almost obligatory opening instrumental, here more an atmospheric scene-setter than anything else with enigmatic acoustic guitars and high-pitched solo squealing, comes the barrage of double-bass drum hits and epic chord progressions that are to define the rest of the album and the KoK sound in general. The kind of Black Metal KoK perform in 2008 is a long way from the stereotypical raw Darkthrone sound people associate with the genre but more in line with the well-performed, well-produced fare similar to Dimmu Borgir and Emperor, full of massive riffs and an epic uprising soundscape. Infact much of what is going on here, certainly in the slower moments experienced during the title track and "The Rising Sign", feels like it could've been lifted from the soundtrack to a film as epic as 300, as KoK deliver periods of tension and imperial bombast well-suited for a film as massive as that was. Another asset to KoK is the superb musicianship allowing for some brilliant individual riffs to be picked out from the pack, with two highlights being those found in "Ascendant" and again, the title track. The super-high-speed riffing that was a feature of songs like "Crown Of The Kings" from "Armada" is less present this time around but the general feel of "Armada" is very much there, with more emphasis on atmosphere through greater slower sections and subtle, but effective, uses of synth and horns.

Individual performances across the board are splendid, with extravagant solos galore from guitarist Obsidian C. that fit and flow with the tempo and direction of the music during "A New Empire's Birth" and "Warmonger", a powerful rhythm section manned by Vyl (drums) and Wizziac (bass) that maintains precision at the highest of speeds and a more varied vocal performance from Thebon than previously, consisting of greater chanted sections as well as the odd growl on top of his hoarse BM-style of old. Further directional changes since the previous record see a greater emphasis placed on cleaner chorus sections, with the likes of those found in "Kolossus", "The Rising Sign" and "The Mark Of Power" sure to stick in your memory and please all but the most miserable of BM diehard elitists. Just for completion too elements of an Emperor influence have crept further in to the mix, which as influences go for a technically adept Black Metal band is as good as they get!

Deciding on whether "Kolossus" represents a step up from "Armada" is difficult as whilst the former displayed greater overall speed and aggression the new one shows a greater sense of aura and attention to detail that simply cannot be ignored. Really, what is clear is that "Kolossus" is just that; a great Extreme Metal album that also benefits from a good introduction piece to anyone new to the genre with the attention-grabbing choruses and excellent production. The future of Keep of Kalessin looks even brighter.

Originally written for Rockfreaks.net

I first found out about Keep of Kalessin after the release of their previous work, Armada, which was easily their "masterpiece". Like most people at the time that first heard Armada, it seperated the masses right down the middle with listeners becoming instant diehard fans or rabid haters criticizing Thebon's every word or Obsidian's every note. I personally loved Armada and consider it their best, but after highly anticipating a follow up release I can say that Armada is still their best. Kolossus follows up in a fashion very similar to the previous work but I don't think Thebon and crew could have done a better job here. I don't know if it's wise for bands to set out to try and top their previous release, or try and make a better release that would be a masterpiece or what; but here Kolossus is a very worthy follow up.

After the first run through of Kolossus it didn't click as fast as Armada did, but after many more listens I can safely say that this is a great album; very unique black metal which is obviously Keep of Kalessin's modus operandi. Everything here, especially the unusual vocals of Thebon which are more strained, intelligble and easier to comprehend while still being very harsh and raspy instead of the overly croaky rasps that most black metal vocalists have, is a bit off the beaten path for black metal it seems. Obviously this IS black metal but overall it's a more matured, finished, polished and better style that I prefer. Obsidian does a magnificent job playing at hyper speed riffing and spewing off some wicked cool solos as well as making them a bit more than just crazy insane notes, it seems structured and well thought out. Vyl's drumming is absolutely nuts; everything from his hyper speed blast beats to the varying hyper speed double bass rolls and whatnot, it's all done perfect here and very tight; never a step out of line. Even Wizzyac shines here as a bassist on a black metal record, actually showing himself and following the guitars as fast as he can go.

The song structures here are well thought out, being very lengthy and following a fun pattern with very fast black metal assault to the slower mid sections/openers. The opening song, Origin, sets the tone for the album with a eerie atmosphere, leading straight into A New Empire's Birth with a flat out catchy and fun riff that is commands you to headbang. The rhythm and fast drumming just sums up the typical faster speed Keep of Kalessin styled song; perfect, what a great way to start the album. Thebon over it all shines with glory, "SYMBOL OF GODS SCULPTED INTO MOUNNNTAAAAAINS!". Against the Gods continues with the faster paced kick ass approach that the boys have perfected with great and memorable riffing with a catchy as hell chorus, I demand you to listen to this now and try to not sing along. Similar song structure, lengthy but never letting your interest wane. The best song here is easily Ascendant, the closer track with more of the black metal assault continuing and the opening screams of Thebon, "MY NAME IS EQUAL TO THAT OF DESTRUUCCCTIONNN!", just epic as hell leading into more chaos and a great solo. Anyone who dislikes Thebon is clearly delusional, this guy has a great rasp that is a breath of fresh air for black metal.

Kolossus is a great follow up to Armada and a worthy addition to Keep of Kalessin's catalogue, and surely any black metaller's collection. For a fan like myself it's hard to deny how awesome this is, this is exactly how I like my black metal; legitimate and catchy riffs with memorable vocal lines and patterns with an overall great production and stellar musicianship. There are very few mistakes or dull moments to be found here, with the unrelenting pace set up by most of the songs, the fewer slow moments don't stand out. The song structures are very similar and don't vary as much, but that's only a minor detail I think. I hate to call this modern black metal, although it is but that typically has a negative connotation, but if Keep of Kalessin are leaders of modern black metal then call me a fan because Kolossus kicks ass.

Keep of Kalessin is a band that has always strived to reach new heights in both composition and musicianship. Their sound is characterized by viciously fast but focused guitar and drum playing coupled with long, epic songwriting. The lyrics usually deal with a war, struggles for power, and the like. The vocals, courtesy of the talented Theoben, are performed in many different, distinct styles. My first experience with this band was when I stumbled upon their last offering, 2006’s Armada. I was blown away by the sheer power, energy, and epic scale of the band and bought their entire back catalog. Armada was rooted in black metal, like all of their other works, but saw them incorporating elements from different styles, trying to create their own gigantic sound that could rally legions of troops to battle. Kolossus sees the band continuing where Armada left off, evolving into a more melodic extreme metal sound that is just as convincing and well done as any of their previous material. Kolossus may not be as aggressive as its excellent predecessor Armada, but what it lacks in black metal brutality it more than makes up for in catching songwriting and epic atmosphere.

The acoustic driven instrumental “Origin” slowly finds its way into your speakers, climaxing with an epic sounding electric guitar melody over acoustic guitar chords. “Origin” is definitely a step up from previous instrumental opener “Surface” on Armada, setting the tone and massive scale of Kolossus immediately. Guitarist Obsidian C.’s expert layering and texture techniques are highlighted, with him being the sole performer on this track. This instrumental sets up the epic atmosphere of the album quite nicely.

“A New Empire’s Birth” and “Against the Gods” open up Kolossus in a way that only Keep of Kalessin can do. Drummer Vyl’s dangerously fast blast beats and double bass forays constantly beat the listener into submission. Bassist Wizzac creates weaving bass lines that do not copy exactly what the guitar is doing, anchoring out a powerful rhythm section. Obsidian’s equally fast and precise but melodic guitar work provides an epic atmosphere that is second to none. Theoben continues to use many vocal styles to illustrate grand scenes of battles, employing venomous rasps, shouts, death metal vocals, and more. Keep of Kalessin’s instrumental technicality and finesse are unmatched, and they let the listener know how good they are every second of this album. Their displays of technical prowess are not at the expense of songwriting however, since Kolossus contains excellent songs that rival the band’s best works.

While the album as a whole is outstanding, and easily one of the best albums of 2008 for me, the latter half of Kolossus is particularly excellent, featuring a majority of the album’s highlights. “Escape the Union” and the title track both exceed the 7-minute mark and provide vast journeys through many different tempos and textures. The former uses some clean guitars and has some thrash influence shown in the verses. The title track starts with a lengthy and epic intro that turns into blasting fest that is equal parts black metal and death metal. Theoben utilizes his many vocal styles in this track. His usual rasp and shouting vocals are there, accompanied by some well-performed death metal vocals. When the band tones it down in the middle the listener is treated to both the acoustic and electric guitar soloing of Obsidian with an exotic sounding twist.

Another standout track is the monstrous “The Mark of Power”. This track is slower than the rest of the songs, only reaching blasting territory towards the end. This track provides the listener with some breathing room between the furious “Escape the Union” and the title track. While the speed is toned down for a good part of the track, it is no less intense. The clean guitars are prominently featured in this track, used in the verses and then layered on top of the electric guitars during the blasting section. A synth section also makes it’s way into the double bass driven chorus section.

The album comes to a close with “Ascendant”, my favorite song on Kolossus. One of the song’s main themes is the melody found all the way back on “Origin”, bring a sense of closure and coming full circle in this musical journey. The song structure might be simple by Keep of Kalessin standards, but for me this is easily the most catchy and enjoyable KoK song. It is the shortest song on the album (excluding “Origin”) but is just as epic sounding as the others. All of the riffs are top notch in this song, and there is a well-done guitar solo by Obsidian. Vyl incessantly blasts and uses his bass pedals like there’s no tomorrow. Theoben continues to put his multiple vocal styles to use. The last time the chorus comes around Keep of Kalessin and a synth layer to the mix, making an already huge part sound larger than life, or more appropriately, Kolassal. This is the perfect song to end the album.

Kolossus may not be as aggressive as Armada, but makes up for it in the songwriting department. Every song on this album is outstanding, quality music, but the second half of the album is particularly excellent in my opinion and can easily stand with their best songs. The inclusion of non-black metal elements in their sound comes across as a natural progression in which they are moving on beyond the confines of the genre to create their unique sound. The flawless musicianship, as with every other Keep of Kalessin release, is a highlight of the material, as each member shows complete command of his respective instrument. This is a truly massive album and is one of the best albums of the year, black metal or otherwise.

Kolossus, Keep of Kalessin's fourth full length output has been highly anticipated in the underground black metal circles since it's announcement quite some time ago. Now that it's here, it delivers the continuous crushing blows that its predecessor, Armada, first implied.

The opening track, Origin, is a short acoustic piece which sets up the atmosphere and braces the listener for the onslaught to come. With nice echoing vibes, and slick crisp production, the strings sound as if they're being plucked before your very ears. With a fade-in, suddenly a snare drum is pounding away as A New Empire's Birth begins. Now, one thing you'll notice on this album is the drums. They sound very raw and primal on this album as opposed to Armada, going for a more medival feel (Kingdom Come, anyone?) and atmosphere. Very nice, considering the adjustment (or dejustment?) from Armada to this album is somewhat hard to get used to.

The first two songs pretty much set the stage for the rest of the album. Highlights such as The Rising Sign and Ascendant both apply the acoustics and "medival" drums quite well, and give this album plenty of credit for the genius riffing on the part of A.O. Gronbech. The bass, for the most part, follows the guitar melodies yet has its own little breaks, which add for a nice touch.

Vocally, it's typical Keep of Kalessin. Deep, angry, emotional, passionate. As if a king declaring war on an opposing country, while at the same time implying that his kingdom must maintain its integrity at all costs. In other words, amazing. Thebon is a fantastic vocalist, though many will disagree. Not in the top five, ten, whatever, but in his own right his voice fits Keep of Kalessin's style perfectly. Without him, this band wouldn't be where they are today.

Overall, a wonderful album with flawless execution, and to top it off this band plays an excellent live show. Just prior to the release of this album, while touring they decided to give the crowds a little taste of their upcoming accomplishment, playing such songs as Ascendant, Warmonger, and A New Empire's Birth.

This band never fails to deliver, and if they continue on the path they've set for themselves, we could see a new classic black metal album among the ranks of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, Filosofem, and Transilvanian Hunger in the not-so-distant future.

Keep of Kalessin has always received the praise of the underground, never quite rising up to the top and gnashing their teeth at those above. Now they have captured the head fortress of metal bands evolving into a genre of their own. Thebon’s vocals have a greater commanding tone on “Kolossus,” like a general leading his army with a clear, resonating voice turning to dry rasps of blood hunger. The instrumentation is impeccable and many moods are summoned throughout the album, of peace and of war. Obsidian C. has written countless jewel encrusted guitar riffs and hooks that glimmer like a king’s crown while Wizziac and Vyl churn the waters and call forth the storms with their bass pulses and drumming rains of fire.


The catalyst to this colossal siege ram “Origin” is a short acoustic composition that does not give any hint to the true enormity of what’s to come. An eastern vibe breathes through “A New Empire’s Birth” as the acoustics play again, still keeping listeners unaware that they are inching closer to a tidal wave. The almost nine minute "Against the Gods" is certainly where you enter the eye of the storm. The drums slash away while Thebon explores more vocal diversity in true epic fashion. Just under eight minutes, “The Rising Sun” is as the name says, a glorious and shining song, full of passion, but not without mighty instrumentation that stamps you out and then resurrects your spirit in full glory to march on in battle.


“Warmonger” is a frantically paced, intravenous surge that takes a hold of your eardrums so that all you hear is the music and the chaotic guitar. “The Mark of Power” opens with a beautiful performance by Thebon, as his singing voice takes center stage. The instruments build up from a tranquil atmosphere to hell and back, making this song a standout track with the doom tinted music. The song chosen for the stunning new video, “Ascendant” closes the album in all of its grandeur. “Ascendant” freezes the beads of sweat brought forth by the previous songs in an amazing icy blast.


I am besotted with this pandemic album. The lyrics are of course, of a conquering theme and accentuate the atmosphere of the album. The new addition to the Keep of Kalessin armory has progressed further than the limits of what many consider black metal, though it remains the tag that is most frequently pierced onto them. The same apocalyptic sense of “Armada” is found on this throbbing, melodic weapon, so fans of that should seize “Kolossus,” and headbang in triumph.

Keep of Kalessin are yet another reason why Norway is probably the best country in Europe. Their unique brand of melodic and symphonic black metal has long been a fan favorite and after 2006’s Armada the bar was set high for a repeat of the glory of that disc. Well, 2008 has arrived and with it came a flurry of new releases, however it is Kolossus that stands head and shoulders above the crowd.

The sound of Keep of Kalessin is both bombastic and streamlined. Orchestral passages are just as common as blasting sections of death metal. When the two combine the result is…”colossal”. The opening track, “Origin”, sets the mood for most of the disc with its Middle Eastern overtones and backing synths. The abundance of acoustic guitar throughout the album accents the already overwhelming epic feel everything has. Kolossus is truly a larger than life musical journey.

One of the best aspects of Kolossus is how many of the riffs and transitions get stuck in your head. The outro to “Against the Gods” that starts at 6:08 is one of the more memorable on the album and indeed of the year. “Warmonger” takes the best track award. The simplicity of melody is refreshing to hear in a scene oversaturated by groups trying to “out tech” each other. The songs all retain their own identity and are obviously rooted in black metal, however Keep of Kalessin have managed to transcend the boundaries of the genre to create something special. The soaring chorus’ of “Warmonger” and “Escape the Union” display Thebon’s mighty set of pipes. The man’s singing is comparable to Ihsahn of Emperor fame. The gruff singing and abrasive growls reinforce the image of warrior king leading his troops into battle.

The production on Kolossus is mindblowing. I’m hard pressed to think of a more ideal sounding recording. Every note is crystal clear, highlighting the nuances in dynamics and tone. This is especially noticeable in the introduction of “The Mark of Power” and with the album opener, “Origin”. The drumming is the weakest part of the disc, but that doesn’t mean that is necessarily weak. On the contrary, drummer Vyl can blast with the best of them, and his work on Kolossus demonstrates that.

Overall, Kolossus is one of the best metal albums of the year. The scope and depth of the songs are overwhelming. The grandiose style songwriting that guitarist Obsidian Claw indulges in rarely works for a full album, but Keep of Kalessin’s high level of skill and deft execution keep Kolossus fresh and listeners craving more.

I have been following Keep of Kalessin since the Agnen album, and have yet to be disappointed by any of their works. Their live show is spectacular, and their album work is stellar - this album is no exception. Some people have been arguing that Kalessin has lost touch with its roots with this album, but I beg to differ. Is it exactly the same as their earlier works? No. But even in their earlier works, melody reigned supreme - this album just accentuates the melody versus the brutal riffing. As I'm not a black metal purist (though I do appreciate "pure" black metal), I really enjoy the change.


The vocal styling is different, but the same. Thebon has varied his style, dwelling into low growling and high-pitch, Dissection style screams. The lyrics are fairly straight-forward, and they get the job done - there's no real weak point in the lyrics, but no really strong point either. The guitar work by Obsidian is exceptional. This man has skill that's tough to find in the black metal world. His chord voicings are great, but above that, he can invert every single on to the -enth degree, it's astounding. The solos are nice, it's been a while since I've heard Obsidian go on a shredding rant. The riffs are sometimes brutal, sometimes technical, always interesting. I wish we could hear a little more of Wizziac, but when you do plug into some decent speakers/headphones, you can hear his every note. The nice thing about Wizziac is that he doesn't play the average bass players part, he moves away from simply holding and droning the root, that get's old. Wizziac moves the part around, changing harmonies and acting in almost a contrapuntal way. And of course, Vyl's drums are always exceptional, and this album is amazing for drums. One of my personal highlights for drums is on "Against the Gods" in which there is a breakdown at the end of the song, and Vyl is adding polyrhythms all over the place - astounding.

The music is the best part of this album, but I'm not going to tell you how to feel about it. Some tracks have very great, symphonic parts; some tracks have exceptionally fast, brutal and absolutely soul-shredding riffs; some tracks have bang-your-head and rape-the-weak parts, but overall, everything is extremely solid and utterly enjoyable. Another argument which arose after the release of this album is: How much like Armada is this album? Well, in my opinion, it shares alot of similarities, but is a vast improvement over Armada. It's more diverse, more melodic and more brutal. Give this album a shot, it's currently my overall favorite black metal album I've heard in a very, very long time. It'll take a lot for another album to take that spot, seeing as how strong this album is.

9.5/10

When KoK released 'Armada', it instantly became one of my favorite albums, right up there with ATTWAD by Emperor and Born of the Flickering by Old Man's Child. So it was with great anticipation that I awaited their next album, but with some amount of trepidation, as well. After all, where can you go from 'Armada,' right? Well, apparently they went here, one of the directions that I was hoping they would avoid.

The production on 'Kolossus' is both a help and a hinderance. Everything is crystal clear, sometimes good and sometimes bad. When I first heard 'Ascendant' on myspace, I was really diggin' the song structure and musicality, but not so much the vocals (Motorhead meets Emperor is as apt description as any) which were WAY out front, and the odd reverb on some of the soloing. These two elements are the biggest hinderance (in my opinion) to K living up to the big 'Armada'.

My next problem was with some of the songs (specifically 4, 6 and 7). I don't really want to say "filler", but I can't think of a happy medium between that and "ehhh...". They aren't bad, they're just...forgettable. Even the prog breakdown in the middle of 'The Rising Sign' isn't that bad, I've just heard Winds do it better. Basically, they could have cut the intro and 6 and 7 and have had one hall of an EP.

That being said, while nothing on this album lives up to 'Crown of the Kings', 'Against the Gods', 'Kolossus' (best vocal work on the album), and 'Ascendant' are KoK at their top-form.

This album is still better then most of the garbage out there today, so it is a must buy. I'm just a little disappointed.

Although "Keep of Kalessin", by my opinion has one of the best albums in the Black Metal genre, their last two studio works are disappointing to say the least. The Band started going downhill with "Armada" and now have reached new depts of billboard black metall with "Kolossus".

For me "Armada" was a let down from their previous albums but with "Kolossus" KoK have come even further with the clean sounding. The clean sound was one of the good qualities of their music, but now they've straighten it up so much that the songs have lost their atmosphere. They just sound dry and hollow. With sadness I can say that "Kolossus" reminds me of "Dimmu Borgir"'s last albums. Although the guitar work is done with skill it has lost its grimness. The riffs are a disappointment as well. There's almost none memorable. But the biggest annoyance comes from the vocals. They are decent enough but compared to Attila's maddening yelling Thebon sounds like a little girl and he's doing to much of a clean singing too.
The drums still kick ass, no doubt about that.


So in conclusion I would say that this is a great black album but just isn't a great "Keep of Kalessin" album. "Kolossus" is perhaps technicaly surpassing previous albums but It just doesn't deliver the same feeling. Knowing what KoK is Capable of doing and witnessing this downfall is maddening. I still recomend it to all black fans though. "Ascendant" and "Kolossus" are my songs of choice.

Keep of Kalessin is one of those bands that I’d been reading about for years but it seemed like everything they did came under a mediocre black metal category and I never bothered to check the band out. That changed when the band released Armada in 2006. It saw the band still playing black metal but almost desperately trying to claw their way out of the genre pigeonholing. It was melodic, epic and had its roots in the black metal genre but the band seemed willing to experiment with influences outside of the normal black metal scene.

I had a good deal of hope for Kolossus and I have to say this album will probably end up on my top 10 for this year.

The album starts with the layered guitar instrumental intro of Origin which seems more Spanish than Norwegian and from here it’s a dizzying ride through some awesome technical guitar playing that’s groovy and melodic at the same time and a truly pummeling performance behind the drum kit. First proper song A New Empire’s Birth sets the scene for what’s to follow. A jagged thrash groove starts proceedings before pummeling you with blast beats and an all round melodic black metal assault that’s epic in nature and feel and not in length. Against the Gods is a furious storm that brings to mind Emperor’s last two albums colliding head on with sound of Armada. There are some terrific grooves here but again it’s the drummer who propels this song along. Warmonger has a vocal line that reminds me a bit of early Soilwork and might anger the purists but it’s a great song. Mark of Power is mostly mid paced and melodic but dark enough to sound pretty damn powerful and catchy enough for that title refrain to stick in your head. Title song Kolossus is another monster. It’s melodic and harsh at the same time and probably the best song on the album although my personal favourite is changing with every listen.

I suppose a comparison to the last two Emperor albums is valid but at the same time, there’s enough of the band’s individual identity on Kolossus to lift this album high above being merely an Emperor clone.

The band is in fantastic form through the fifty five minutes of this album. Guitarist/ keyboard player and chief song writer Obsidian Claw is quite terrific in all three departments while Thebon gives a truly outstanding performance with his vocals channeling the spirit of Lemmy and Ihsahn in equal measure while coming across as quite original and very articulate. The drumming occasionally threatens to overpower the songs but Vyl reins himself in so it’s always only a threat.

The band excels at incorporating harsh black metal bits and groovy death thrash riffs into the melodic extreme metal framework. The occasional acoustic guitar moment does wonders for the atmosphere and the lead guitar parts are quite impressive. The best part though is that the band uses these elements to write some terrific songs. Kolossus always comes across as a focused singular piece of work where all the elements fit in superbly. This is a bad that’s getting to the top of its game and deserves a listen.

Originally written for http://kvltsite.com