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 Kvaen
“The Formless Fires” (Metal Blade Records, 2024)

I became acquainted in 2022, with the release of “The Great Below”, on Black Lion Records, and immediately was blown away by the melodies. It is a Swedish project, which means that melody is a very important element of their overall structure; but at times you can feel it overly technical and this, I believe, probably comes from Jacob Björnfot’s association with Progressive Metal project Ghost Ship Octavius, and Melodic Death Metal project The Duskfall. Nonetheless, this is a very cool sounding Black Metal project.

This is their 3rd release, and it was released by Metal Blade Records. A cool upgrade, right? I believe their previous one, “The Great Below”, was – and still is – a very good Melodic Black Metal album, and this one goes along the same lines, which is great! The Swedish have a special touch for melody and Extreme Metal, and their ability to create the darkest release with the best melody, the greatest solos, and an overall amazing atmosphere! Solos, very well-placed and balanced, give the music a different dynamic, providing the listener with a versatile and very amusing experience.

Not like Arckanum, not like Necrophobic, what does Kvaen sound like? Well… maybe not like Necrophobic, but they surely have taken bits from them, and I dare say that “Reinkaos”, by the almighty Dissection, had a big impact on young Jacob. And if I may add, that records was the perfect ending for a perfect band. Carrying on, Kvaen is not a project made out of bits and pieces, no! Kvaen is a project that has all the necessary attributes to make it on its own. Again… melody and guitar solos (short and long), that fit the moments, and hardly ever sound overexaggerated or unnecessary.

A very well knows site labels Kvaen as Black/Pagan/Viking Metal, and although I have my doubts that this was the best choice, this release – and project – have this aroma of the 90ies and a massive melodic facet! As written before, the melodic side never compromises the Black Metal core of the music, only some of the solos do, but I have given my perspective on the matter. Overall, this is a great release, especially when compared to the musician’s previous one. To whom will this be a good listening experience? Fans of Melodic Black Metal, fans of Swedish Melodic Death Metal (the good old one), fans of Extreme Metal with an inclination for the technical side of the genre. Overall conclusion: I like it, I do prefer the previous one, and I am curious to se how will this project grow.

Kvaen Bandcamp

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