Kypck - Черно review
| Band: | Kypck |
| Album: | Черно |
| Style: | Doom metal |
| Release date: | March 2008 |
01. Гидролокатор (Depth Finder)
02. Рождество В Мурманске (Christmas In Murmansk)
03. Предатель (Traitor)
04. 1917
05. Чёрная Дыра (The Black Hole)
06. Сталинград (Stalingrad)
07. Не Прости (Do Not Forgive)
08. Очередные (The Usual)
09. Один День Из Жизни Егора Кузнецова (One Day In The Life Of Yegor Kuznetsov)
10. Демон (Demon)
As with all things, metal is done differently in Soviet Russia. While Kypck formed in 2008, well after the fall of Communism, the members are old enough to have lived during the years of the U.S.S.R. Their music seems driven by the forlorn search for personal and national identity faced by many Russians in the '90s, and perhaps this explains why Kypck is a doom metal band (or, as they call it, "Fast Russian Doomsday Metal"). It isn't fast at all, but the other three parts are correct, and the dark, droning chords full of suppressed rage certainly paint a picture to match the album artwork. What we have here seems to be Russia's post-traumatic stress disorder manifesting itself in musical form, and it sounds like the dying voices of a million massacred Red Soldiers have provided the inspiration.
As the doom metal branding would suggest, Cherno is dominated by incredibly de-tuned and very atonal guitar riffs that can carry the stench of death through the power of song. In fact, there is almost a dark atmospheric touch to it, as if you would hear this music whilst marching through the snow to the gulag, bound in chains. One of the album's standout characteristics is vocalist Erkki Seppanen, whose throaty rasp somewhat resembles Joakim Broden of Sabaton. A more accurate description would be he sounds exactly like Reznov from Call of Duty: World at War and Black Ops. Speaking of Sabaton, Joakim Broden looks and sounds suspiciously like Soap MacTavish from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare I and II. That aside, Seppanen does have some range to his voice, as he has demonstrated with his other band Dreamtale, but all the power metal bombast displayed there goes out the window for the depressing and haunting lamentations that Kypck so dutifully plods through on their first release. Seppanen applies the darkest of emotions to his voice, in such a way that basically reaffirms one of the most prominent Western stereotypes of Russians: they are all way more hardcore than you, and you better believe they know it. Pass the borscht.
This was my introduction to doom metal, and I have to admit I haven't found anything to match it. Candlemass comes pretty close, but Kypck takes the cake. Being from the former supervillain of the world gives the whole "death, doom, and destruction" thing such a realistic edge, and the fact that Russian always sounds really threatening to the English speaker's ears adds many levels of weary, "Defiance"-esque badassery. Cherno is also aided by the presence of the two surprisingly-catchy singles, "Stalingrad" and "1917." Those two songs are prime examples of the whole "in Soviet Russia" metal vibe I tried to explain, but it's not funny like so many "in Soviet Russia" jokes are. If you are into Russian metal (which I totally am), or just like your metal to be evil with a dash of sinister realism, Kypck is one artist you don't want to miss out on.
Disclaimer: "Kypck is not actually from Russia, but Finland. This was a foolish oversight on my part, but luckily not too much of what I wrote is affected. The songs are all about Russian history and are sung in Russian, and indeed it seems as if Kypck is an entirely Russian-themed band. Being from Finland, a nation that once had close ties to the Soviet Union, I'm sure that the band members still experienced much of the dischord in post-Cold War Russia to which I alluded; at least one of the members previously lived in the U.S.S.R. as well. In the end, this was kind of a dumb mistake, which I will be sure not to repeat; boy is my face red (no pun intended)."
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS | 13.01.2011
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments: 18
Visited by: 127 users
| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada  |
Excellent review! Some fact, a dash of humor, and insightful description. Kudos.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 13.01.2011 at 06:26 You're too kind!
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| NocturnalStalker Metal Addict Posts: 889 From: Spain  |
Pretty good review, I must mention. And I agree with the most your wrote here though their music portrays just one side of Soviet time and Russian soul in general - which would be the dark side. But they definitely do it well so, I guess, if some people wouldn't know that they are coming from Finland they could think that Kypck is a genuine Russian band. Also Erkki's peculiar accent gives off some kind of charm to the Russian native's ears. 
---- "And we are not who we think we are We are who we're afraid to be" - Lux Occulta "The Opening of Eleventh Sephirah"
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands  |
This band is not Russian at all. They are totally Finnish. As for the album it was nice for a listen or two but grew old very quickly. Somehow they missed the essence of doom, if that makes any sense to you.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Mikyz Posts: 711 From: Lebanon  |
Wow seems like you did some solid research before writing this, good job. But I don't think this comes anywhere close to the realm of Candlemass, other than that kudos.
---- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.01.2011 at 13:41 They are technically from Finland, but everything else about them is Russian. Besides, they are based in Russia, and being next-door neighbors still earns them their stripes, so to speak. As for the album itself, I understand what you're saying. To each his own, I suppose.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 13.01.2011 at 17:53 They consist of 100% finnish band members and are based in Finland, don't know where you get the idea they are based in Russia. They have Sentenced members in the band (one as full time and one as toruing member) and those certainly live in Finland.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Windrider Raureif Posts: 684 From: Germany  |
Great review, I love this album! Funny though, it was also my introduction to Doom Metal, but I think other bands like Shape Of Despair or many unknown bands are also good. Can't wait for the new one, these guys are really good! Thx for this superb review!
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 13.01.2011 at 17:55 Some quick checking has revealed that you are right; my mistake. Sorry, I've been listening to about half a dozen other Russian bands nonstop for the past several days; I knew they were from Finland, I suppose it just got lost in the mix somewhere.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Posts: 21306 From: Canada |
Don't forget about Nile. I can't believe how many people think Karl Sanders is Egyptian.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 13.01.2011 at 18:15 No problem. Maybe you should add a disclaimer to your review now cause a big part of it is totally off now 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 14.01.2011 at 02:28 Yeah. How do I do that?
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Posts: 40071 From: The Netherlands |
Written by ScreamingSteelUS on 14.01.2011 at 02:39 Isn't there an "edit" possibility at either the bottom or the top of the review for you? 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 14.01.2011 at 02:44 Not that I see.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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| BudDa Posts: 887 From: Uganda  |
I like it. There was a time when I couldn't get over this album, but now, well, just "Christmas in Murmansk". Seriously, they will bury me with that song!
---- Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8977 From: Canada  |
Nice review, I should try this out.
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| Boxcar Willy yr a kook Posts: 8977 From: Canada |
Listening to Stalingrad, I enjoy the chorus, but the rest of the vocals kind of annoyed me.
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| ScreamingSteelUS Editor-in-Chief Posts: 5669 From: USA |
Written by Boxcar Willy on 16.07.2012 at 06:10 Their singer is also in Dreamtale and is almost completely unrecognizable. If you are into power metal at all you should check it out, if for no other reason than to hear the difference in his singing styles.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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