With their self-titled debut album Kvelertak took the heavy music world completely by surprise. They emerged seemingly fully formed. Their catchy black metal/classic rock/hardcore punk hybrid model worked better than it ever had any right to. Not to mention the fact that their live show wiped most other bands off the face of the planet. So, it is easy to see how ‘Meir’, their slightly amusingly titled sophomore effort (it literally translates as “more”), could buckle under the weight of pressure.
The problem with ‘Meir’, however, is actually not that it is in any way a bad album. The production from Kurt Ballou is excellent as usual. The band rip into every track like the possessed owl-obsessed Norwegians that they are, and yet something is missing. Perhaps the phrase “less is more” is appropriate here because, to put it simply, the one thing ‘Meir’ is definitely not, is better than ‘Kvelertak’. It is not as if Kvelertak have served up a load of shoddy songs here at all. The problem is they just don’t match up to the consistent excellence of the aforementioned debut.
The thing with Kvelertak is that they are a very moreish band (excuse the bad pun). You want more of the same. Anthems that you can headbang, mosh and scream along to furiously despite not understanding anything that Erlend Hjelvik is screaming about. The thing about Kvelertak’s debut album, in retrospect, is that they stacked that record so full of tracks that fulfil all the requisite criteria that ‘Meir’ unfortunately ends up sounding a bit like the b-sides that did not make the cut last time around. There’s nothing wrong with the likes of ‘Bruane Brenn’ and ‘Evig Vrandar’ but they come across as retreads of the likes of ‘Mjød’ and ‘Offernatt’.
That isn’t to say that ‘Meir’ is a bad album, far from it. In fact if this was their debut album expectations would already be set sky high for the follow-up. ‘Meir’ feels like a debut album in many ways. It is just a tad overlong, and some of the songs lack the impact of those that surround them. If ‘Kvelertak’ was the sound of a band already reaching superlative deserving status then ‘Meir’ sounds like a band that are nearly there. The likes of ‘Månelyst’ and the imaginatively titled ‘Kvelertak’ are would-be tantalisers for an album of all out excellence but instead everything has sadly ended up the wrong way round.
It’s a sad truth that, as soon as ‘Meir’ had finished I was desperate, not to listen to it again, but to stick the first album on and crack open a few beers. ‘Meir’ is a solid record, but it just doesn’t provide the rush of exhilaration that the first album did. Plus there isn’t an amazing picture of an owl on the front this time. Shame.
‘Meir’ is out now via Roadrunner.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
The problem with ‘Meir’, however, is actually not that it is in any way a bad album. The production from Kurt Ballou is excellent as usual. The band rip into every track like the possessed owl-obsessed Norwegians that they are, and yet something is missing. Perhaps the phrase “less is more” is appropriate here because, to put it simply, the one thing ‘Meir’ is definitely not, is better than ‘Kvelertak’. It is not as if Kvelertak have served up a load of shoddy songs here at all. The problem is they just don’t match up to the consistent excellence of the aforementioned debut.
.jpg)
.jpg)
