Kvelertak - Kvelertak (2010)

Kvelertak - Ulvetid by speedglueandmusic_aw
Kvelertak - Mjød by speedglueandmusic_aw
RIYL: Turbonegro, Satyricon

What's an easy way to piss off a black metal fan?   Tell them this was your favorite black metal album of 2010 (it wasn't my favorite, but I did decide to throw this into my top 10 at the last second).  Heck, just the fact that I picked "metal - black" as the label for this entry seems debatable at the very least.  If you haven't heard this yet, its basically an amalgamation of current-era Satyricon (somewhat) and Turbonegro (mostly): that is to say, major-label friendly black metal and cheesy modern hard rock that Scandinavians seem to love for reasons unknown to me.  This album certainly caused its share of controversy when it came out last year; for some people, it was the funnest, hard-rockin'-est, black-metallin' riff-fest album of the year.  Or so I hear anyway, because really all I ever saw were metal blogs saying "DAMMIT STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS SHITTY ALBUM".  As it so happens though, I like current-era Satyricon and Turbonegro, so I think this album is pretty fun.  I think this album would sound good in a bar, or when driving a car really fast.  Or driving a car really fast to/from a bar.  I can say that it doesn't really suit me as well when I am sitting in front of my computer listening to it, as you undoubtedly are (unless you are in a car or a bar and reading this- how are you doing that??).  So anyway, if you think black metal is VERY VERY SERIOUS AND ALSO TRUE AND ALSO BLEAK you will probably HATE this and I won't blame you for that.  If, however, you like "riffs" and don't really care if some bros from Sweden or wherever these guys are from are co-opting black metal sounds for their bro-rock fest, you might enjoy this.  I guess the question is, can you enjoy music even if the people behind it are total douches?  If you like black metal, isn't the answer to that pretty obvious?  If you CAN get behind this concept, this album is pretty fun, although the songwriting is not terribly strong- most songs have inspired moments and then a lot of filler.  But I'm always in favor of things that sound new and different, and I'd say this is a pretty good sound.