Keep of Kalessin - Armada

Note to black metal bands: when playing live, turn down your damn kicks! We know you can play blastbeats. We came to hear some cold atmosphere, not a never-ending barrage of kick drums. If we wanted that, we'd go hear techno. I recently saw Keep of Kalessin open for Satyricon, and though the performance was fine, the mix was abysmal, burying the guitars amid the kicks.

Thankfully, Armada (on Tabu) sounds much better. In fact, it probably sounds too good for black metal purists. I have little patience for "must sound like shit to be kvlt," so I dig the crisp and clear production. What I've heard of Keep of Kalessin's previous work was well-done, but frankly didn't leave much of an impression. Armada steps up not only the production but also the songwriting; now there are some actual melodies and memorable songs.

Keep of Kalessin - Crown of the Kings
Keep of Kalessin - Winged Watcher

The album is amazingly shredding, though not through solos. Guitarist Obsidian C. (who's toured with Satyricon, whose Frost drummed on 2003's Reclaim EP) sticks mostly to rhythm work. However, he's smoking at it. His speed and precision is very thrashy; it's like if Slayer played black metal. That, plus the production, makes Armada not very atmospheric, but quite hard-hitting. Add some clean tones, tastefully minimal keyboards, and a nice digipak, and you have one sharp package. Pick it up

@ Candlelight
@ Moribund