The longstanding Norwegian Metal outfit Keep of Kalessin returns for the first time in eight years with their eighth full-length studio album. Entitled Katharsis, this slab of extremity arrived on March 24, 2023 via Back On Black Records, and sees the trio building upon the more epic and sweeping grandiosity which has come to define their unique career path.
Having a musical pedigree of 1990s Norwegian Black Metal, Keep of Kalessin withholds only the most rudimentary trappings of the genre. The musical substructure of pounding blast beats permeates songs like “The Omni” while raw vocals are often supplemented with distorted talking parts, as well as majestic choral sections. This is no doubt meant to paint in a dramatic atmosphere that uplifts the listener and sweeps them along.
An extremely polished production and modern, in truth, the triggered drum sound call to mind what Dimmu Borgir began doing in the 2000s. This sort of thing pulls in a much wider audience, as the sterling studio production quality on display here attests. That said, the title-track features a soundtrack-style chorus reminiscent of the aforesaid Dimmu Borgir mixed with Devin Townsend. The more straightforward “Hellride” brings a thrashier element to the mix; if Cradle of Filth and Testament were mashed together, it might sound like this.
Then Keep of Kalessin reaches for the summit on “From the Stars and Beyond”; a song which blends an adventurous orchestral keyboard flair to more power-metal-centric vocal lines. The fact that this Ensiferum-style, bardic singalong affair takes place over a relentless pounding of blast beats seems pretty unusual, and definitely sets these Norwegians apart from their peers. The crossover into fantastical realms continues on “Journey’s End,” a ballad with mournful clean vocals, piano and clean strummed guitar. Main Composer Arnt Obsidian certainly holds himself to no genre boundaries. This song is a definite highlight, with a pleasing crescendo that could be sung by throngs at future concerts. That in mind, does Keep of Kalessin belong at the next iteration of a ‘paganfest’?
Pondering that thought for a moment, back to the music, and “The Obsidian Experience” represents the longest song of the entire album. At just over ten minutes, it seems a long time to carry on the blast beat, orchestral keys, and screams until about halfway through it takes a synthy breather. Furthermore, the storytelling feeling persists on “Throne of Execration” with its spoken word passages and dreaming guitar solo work. Nonetheless, its final half is beautiful and well-wrought, delivered at half the pace but with convincing power.
All told, Katharsis is a unique addition to the Extreme Metal pile. At its most basic it sounds like a continuation of the ultra-clean take on Black Metal their countrymen in Dimmu Borgir purported in the early noughts. But beneath the surface there is a highly emotive, preeminently skillful orchestral Power Metal heart burning brightly in these songs. For all these reasons, Cryptic Rock gives Katharsis 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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