Khold - Svartsyn

It has been quite some time since Khold, initially regarded as a Tulus side project, released their excellent debut Masterpiss of Pain (2001). Surprisingly little has changed for Khold since those days.

Although their release schedule slowed down considerably after Hundre år gammal (2008), you can still recognize Khold as the same band from the very first note. The wheels seemed to come off with Til endes (2014), which is often considered the band’s weakest album. It is therefore surprising that everything that followed represents some of Khold’s strongest material.

Khold’s straightforward, darkly grooving black metal is like the Norwegian black metal equivalent of Obituary’s thick-headed death metal. The tempo is often a lumbering plod, with all unnecessary frills stripped away. At times, this brings Darkthrone to mind from the period when the band was still making black metal. Fortunately, Khold did not follow the same path.

There is some speed when appropriate, but this is hardly music for a race. Above all, Khold’s strength lies in its mid-tempo chugging and the twisted riffs built around it. Everything is topped off by fiercely articulated snarling vocals.

The production is thick and powerful, and it is hard not to appreciate the bass on this album. The overall package is enhanced by tasty guitar work, Celtic Frost vibes and a dark atmosphere.

Svartsyn is therefore one of the better albums of 2022, and one that unfairly passed me by at the time. It is certainly worth returning to now — and in the future. A fine album.

Tracklist:
1. Apostel
2. Ødslet blod
3. Evig
4. Skarpretter
5. Helligdom av døde
6. Manngard
7. Dystopi
8. I demonens bok
9. Villvandre
10. Bryt i udåd ut

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Khold.official
https://www.instagram.com/kholdofficial/
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Khold/1104