Keep of Kalessin: Reptilian

Keep of Kalessin had been offering a polished brand of black metal since the debut of Armada, some would agree it's a Satyricon rub-off since guitarist Obsidian C is a touring member. A quick Reptilian spin here would reveal similar offerings but Obsidian C is peppering the music with some interesting phrasings, of the bluesy type. Also heard here are some tasteful extended solos. KOK remains to be a tight act, featuring some of the most accomplished players in this music circle but its later releases seems to flirt with a more palatable derivative of black metal which many of us would label as 'sold out'. I personally like Reptilian for the guitar tones.

Keep of Kalessin: Kolossus

There's much hype surrounding Keep of Kalessin namely due to the former members in this band: Frost (Satyricon) & Atilla Csihar (Mayhem). Upon the departure of these black metal icons, many were left wondering if KOK could live up to proven performances.

But that should be the least of worries because band chief, Obsidian C, is virtually the heartbeat of this quartet, proven again in their latest release, Kolossus. This collection of songs are more intricate & necessitate slower tempo which fans of Armada (prior release) would cite as the chink in KOK's very structured armour. Despite black metal being synonymous with speed, we need to keep in mind the formula that works, regardless of the general consensus; bands like Carpathian Forest, Burzum, Dark Throne & Xasthur (among others) are proof enough. The technicalities in this album are quite the reason why Obsidian C is the hired hand for Satyricon live shows. Also, Vyl (drummer) displays a schooled technical performance throughout, to match the Nick Barker, Frost, Hellhammer, Emil Draguinovich in the industry.