Album review: Kvelertak's "Splid"

Kvelertak's new album "Splid" translates to "Discord"

KVELERTAK
*Splid*
(Rise Records)

Face-melting guitar solos are a universal language. 

Case in point: There is a moment in Kvelertak's song "Bratebrann" when the frontman breaks from singing in his native Norwegian tongue to exclaim in English, "Air guitar, c'mon!" 

A multi-layered and extended guitar solo follows (air guitaring optional) and is just one of the latest catchy, high-intensity hard rock composition on the band's newest album, "Splid," the band's fourth all-time and the first with its new singer, Ivar Nikolaisen (replacing Erlend Hjelvik).

Yes, most of the album is sung in Norwegian, but the spirit--the energy, melodies and layered guitars--taps into something universal and makes Kvelertak one of Scandanavia's best metal bands.

Two of the 11 songs are sung in English. This doesn't make them any better than the other tracks, just noteworthy: "Crack of Doom" features Mastodon's Troy Sanders on backing vocals, and Nikolaisen sings "Discord" in English as well. The latter track showcases the band's frenetic punk-rock energy well. And although different in tone than Hjelvik, the new singer maintains the same manic Viking ethos. This might turn out to be one of the best metal albums of 2020.

9/10