KVAD: So Old

Release year: 2023
Label: Purity Through Fire

As anyone and everyone will know, Norwegian black metal is a bit of a thing. Not just the fact that once upon a time, a bunch of Norwegian teens spearheaded the evolution of a subgenre of metal and changed the face of metal for all time – but also in the sound and atmospheres they created.

Of course, not everything in Norway sounded alike, and even back then, there were definite outsiders and outliers. Cult act Ildjarn were in many ways one of these, creating their own kind of crude, raw and rudimentary black metal in an obscurity of their own choosing. And stylewise, especially early Burzum were far separated from any kind of black metal sound associated with Norway.

Incidentally, it is these two points of reference which first spring to mind when listening to Norwegian one man project Kvad’s most recent offering So Old. There are slower sections which are a bit like if you took the sound and crudity of early Burzum albums and applied it to the style of songwriting to be found on Hvis Lyset Tar Oss or Filosofem – but when things speed up, it’s the almost punk crudity of Ildjarn I think of. In a similar fashion, Kvad and sole member Peregrinus utilize hypnotic repetition and heavy-handed musicianship.

So, in other words, Kvad doesn’t sound like your typical norsecore band – but they still plant their roots in the tradition of Norwegian black metal. The result of combining the violence of Ildjarn with the diamond-in-the-rough type of crude atmospherics of early Burzum results in an album that’s a bit of an acquired taste, but has an undeniable charm. The intentionally messed-up sound, a maelstrom of distortion that washes over the music and drowning out nuances, takes some time getting used to, but is undoubtedly a fit for music of Kvad’s ilk.

Of course, So Old can’t be reduced to a mere Ildjarn-meets-Burzum mashup. At times, certain resemblances to for example Judas Iscariot can be found: there’s that same kind of foundation in second wave black metal with the abrasiveness taken to the next level. In other words, So Old isn’t a one trick pony – but nonetheless, I feel that the Ildjarn/Burzum comparison is the most fruitful one, as it paints in broad strokes what kind of stuff you need to be into in order to “get” the album.

The one flaw with So Old is that the song material is a bit faceless. Even after copious amounts of spins, there’s a not a single track which rises up to become a favourite or a cornerstone of the album. Or even one you’d remember afterwards.

And with a running time of over 50 minutes, this does reflect somewhat negatively on the album: it becomes a bit samey, and as such, a bit tedious, after a while. It’s all the same abrasive chaos of swirling distortion and furiously raging vocals, even though there is plenty of variation in the music itself.

Still, there’s a lot to like about So Old. It certainly isn’t every day you come across this type of black metal, and despite some shortcomings, Kvad do a decent job at it. So, the bottom line is: approach Kvad with some reservations, but if the points of reference mentioned above hit home – do approach it.

Visit Kvad on Bandcamp