12 September 2024
Mannevond, whom I lastly had the chance to see on stage during the Urgehal farewell tour, is back on the field with his main band Koldbrann, remaining silent since their Vertigo album released in 2013.
Mannevond is a very active musician. In the meantime, he has not been idle. Apart from touring with Urgehal, he has made albums with Nettlecarrier and Djevel, and most recently joined Craft as vocalist.
Vertigo had a rather eclectic structure. The band, who had used to play classic Norwegian black metal, made an album with a different cover design accompanying their music, a new and modern band logo, atmospheric moments, and even a song with a bit of Russian and named after the famous Russian vodka Stolichnaya. As a black metal fan, I had missed Koldbrann’s previous albums, but in this third album, I listened to the band for the first time and liked the album.
I must open a parenthesis here. The influence of Gothenburg bands, especially In Flames, on the American metalcore scene is a well-known fact. However, something interesting happened later on and the band, which had had a great impact on the American heavy music scene, have gradually become more Americanized in terms of music and started to swim in the waters of the scene they had influenced.
While listening to some of Ingen Skånsel’s songs, I thought that a similar relationship was taking place between Koldbrann and Polish Black Metal. Black Metal, which is performed by many Polish bands, sprouted under the influence of Norwegian black metal and over time, those bands managed to create a style specific to Poland. What I mean is that, there are many parts in this Koldbrann album that remind me of Polish bands. This immediately brought to mind the In Flames-USA interaction.
So is it bad? Or does it seem awkward? Absolutely not. The work that emerged is an album that will satisfy fans of the genre in terms of music, has experienced musicianship and a sense of integrity that increases its value. The album, which you will enjoy listening to from beginning to end, consists of 11 songs, one of which is instrumental. Ingen Skånsel has a reasonable duration of around 46 minutes and promises an enjoyable listen for those who like their music heavy and relentless.
The band may not have received positive reactions to their modern and different new style in Vertigo, so they preferred to return to their old ways. Another possibility is that the Urgehal collaboration has pumped up Mannevond and made him want to return to the more classic forms of Black Metal.
As a result, there is a solid, and quite heavy Norwegian-style black metal album with successful compositions. The Polish influences spilled here and there are very positive additions. One of the best of the year contenders.
8,5/10
