Khold - Morke Gravers Kammer
Candllight Records - 2004
By Adam McAuley
Khold play a rather cold (pun intended) take on black metal. Mid-paced, hypnotic riffs consume the majority of this release, and it can be said that these guys are very competent at reproducing the more traditional take on the genre. Bolstered by a commanding production, Morke Gravers Kammer is, at times, a fairly enjoyable listen. I will state that this review is somewhat biased because I'm not an overtly big fan of "tr00" black metal, so people that are fans of the style would probably like this more than me, and may want to add a point or two to the final score.
As stated, the band stick to a moderate pace for the majority of the disc. They sometimes break out into short fast sections, but these moments are few and far between. Darkthrone is one of the more obvious comparison points, but Khold list themselves as something of a modern Bathory on their band info. Regardless, don't expect anything too deviant from fairly simplistic boundaries throughout. One can also observe a small Celtic Frost influence in the raw groove that the riffs possess. The band manage to extend one riff into a stuttering rhythm for the majority of the length of each song. Sometimes this can be enjoyable and mesmerizing, but other times you're led to want to fall asleep and turn off your CD player.
So, Khold offer a fairly effective take on a genre I'm not too fond of. They don't have a unique sound either, so it'll be interesting to see if this release is embraced or merely overlooked. If you're a fan of raw black metal, definitely look into this album.
6/10
Official Candlelight website
Official Khold website
Candllight Records - 2004
By Adam McAuley
Khold play a rather cold (pun intended) take on black metal. Mid-paced, hypnotic riffs consume the majority of this release, and it can be said that these guys are very competent at reproducing the more traditional take on the genre. Bolstered by a commanding production, Morke Gravers Kammer is, at times, a fairly enjoyable listen. I will state that this review is somewhat biased because I'm not an overtly big fan of "tr00" black metal, so people that are fans of the style would probably like this more than me, and may want to add a point or two to the final score.
As stated, the band stick to a moderate pace for the majority of the disc. They sometimes break out into short fast sections, but these moments are few and far between. Darkthrone is one of the more obvious comparison points, but Khold list themselves as something of a modern Bathory on their band info. Regardless, don't expect anything too deviant from fairly simplistic boundaries throughout. One can also observe a small Celtic Frost influence in the raw groove that the riffs possess. The band manage to extend one riff into a stuttering rhythm for the majority of the length of each song. Sometimes this can be enjoyable and mesmerizing, but other times you're led to want to fall asleep and turn off your CD player.
So, Khold offer a fairly effective take on a genre I'm not too fond of. They don't have a unique sound either, so it'll be interesting to see if this release is embraced or merely overlooked. If you're a fan of raw black metal, definitely look into this album.
6/10
Official Candlelight website
Official Khold website
