SPLID

The splendid creature that is Splid: Special Edition by Kvelertak.

Pictured, clockwise from upper left: black vinyl A/B; cover of the special edition; white vinyl C/D; gatefold inside "cover" of the regular edition.

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My second album purchase since obtaining the new turntable is the fourth album by Kvelertak. This Norwegian heavy metal band continues to grow into their fusion of rock, punk, thrash, and black metal. With a new vocalist and new drummer joining their bassist and three (!) guitarists, it is good to hear that they've lost none of their bite. In fact, I think this may be their strongest album.

Similar to their first album, there are a couple of guest vocalists. Troy Sanders of Mastodon sings on "Crack of Doom" and Nate Newton of Converge sings on "Discord." Ivar Nikolaisen, who was a guest vocalist on 2010's Kvelertak, is the new front man for the band and does an amazing job taking over after the departure of Erlend Hjelvik. (Something that many fans thought could not happen!)

After a couple of initial listens, my favorite tracks are pulsing gut-puncher "Bråtebrann" and, for its shifts in tone and tempo, "Fanden ta Detta Hull!"

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The album artwork by Marald van Haasteren, which is a strange "organic" combination of various repetitive animal parts that borders on the cancerous; the multiple gatefolds; and the colored vinyl all add to the craziness that this album contains.