I kinda like this band too. Most people however, prefer the Armada album more...
I think Kolossus is a completely natural evolution for this band... well they have a wider reputation now and i can only welcome any further "changes".

I dislike the fact that fans mostly get dissapointed so easily. Imo they should not, 'cause i strongly believe this behaviour somehow "deteriorates" the artists. I'd love also to see some morε keyboard in their forthcoming album Reptilian (hopefully one of the finest releases of this year - cross fingers people) ...


ho well, i should stop whining too!

Written by treptolemus on 05.03.2010 at 21:48

I kinda like this band too. Most people however, prefer the Armada album more...
I think Kolossus is a completely natural evolution for this band... well they have a wider reputation now and i can only welcome any further "changes".

I dislike the fact that fans mostly get dissapointed so easily. Imo they should not, 'cause i strongly beleive this behaviour somehow "deteriorates" the artists. I'd love also to see some morε keyboard in their forthcoming album Reptilian (hopefully one of the finest releases of this year - cross fingers people) ...


ho well, i should stop whining too!

Take a listen to the first couple albums up until the Reclaim EP, I can see why older fans might be a bit pissed off and alienated with the way KoK gets progressively more melodic with each album. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy their melodic stuff, but I can really understand why the long time fans might be a little perturbed.

Quote:

Written by Doc G. on 05.03.2010 at 22:02

Take a listen to the first couple albums up until the Reclaim EP, I can see why older fans might be a bit pissed off and alienated with the way KoK gets progressively more melodic with each album. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy their melodic stuff, but I can really understand why the long time fans might be a little perturbed.

Allright - i checked some songs. I think that the band made clearly, a new beginning in 2004 -after 2 vocalists that left the band with 2 main albums & 1 EP-

Nuclear blast is their label now and i understand what this means: more mainstream productions to come. One other thing that i always count (but not the "die hard fans" strangely) is time.

Even if they had the same vocalist -since the very beginning- i believe that he would not have the same style all the times (human factor- & age) -eg. we see "extreme" groups lasting only for a decade OR (wisely) if they wish to exist and continue their career they change some elements... Dimmu borgir is the greatest example for me and we all know what they have gone through all these years. (line-up changes, different style, people appreciating exclusively stormblast & enthrone darkness albums...)

Many times i've been wondering, what if the artists wanted to express whatever they like without any boundaries , throughout their careers... but i guess that will never happen, at least for the famous, or notorious ones!

PS. Perturbed: what a nice word that i didn't know p-e-r-turbed

hmmm i like it!

Not that I don't like it, I do, but Reptilian as compared to the two previous albums (I was introduced to them just after the release of Armada) seems to have a lot less energy and "punch." Evolving your style is all well and good but you shouldn't have to sacrifice the soul of the music for it.

I had the extreme pleasure of hearing this band for the first time live on stage when they released Kolossus. I, however, bought the Armada album since I liked the sound better from their myspace page. I thoroughly love Armada, but would not necessarily discount Kolossus as being a bad album, since there were certain aspects that I did enjoy about what I heard of the album. I may eventually get a copy of Kolossus when I get the funding, or I may wait and see what Reptilian has to offer. Bands do tend to change a little bit from album to album, in the neverending search for progress vs the need to stick with what works. Can't really blame them for at least taking that risk. Without the risk you never get to find out what you're capable of, and bands do tend to listen to their fans. I just hate what the mainstream music industry does to these bands. They have to choose between what they love and what will put dinner on the table and provide for their families a lot of the time. It's too bad these big companies don't promote the artists' passions more often.

I've heard a smattering of KoK, and when time came to order some new albums I bought Armada, mostly on impulse. I've heard nothing but good things about Keep, so here's hoping it's worth the purchase!

So, after hearing them again live last night I have to say that the songs from Reptilian are way better live. They've been running their own merch booth this tour too, which I think is pretty awesome.

I've heard a few songs and love Kok (which is dangerously close to cock when you think about it) one of teh few black metal bands i listen to.

There are very few black metal bands that can create such an amazing atmosphere like keep of kalessin did in there song winged watcher in my opinion

Only recently have I gotten into them. I first heard about them when I learned that they'd be touring with Nile for the second leg of the tour for Those Whom The Gods Detest. I must say, a pretty damn good band! The acoustic break in Kolossus, in particular, has me hooked. They're one of those bands, much like Behemoth, whose line between black and death metal is somewhat blurred. I thought Reptilian was a pretty good release (although the "featuring the hot new single Dragontower" sticker on the album cover made me laugh), and I honestly can not WAIT to see them live with Nile

Written by slaytanic12 on 18.11.2010 at 02:02

There are very few black metal bands that can create such an amazing atmosphere like keep of kalessin did in there song winged watcher in my opinion

Funny how opinions differ, as I dislike this band precisely because their music sounds very synthesized and has zero atmosphere. I find KOK boring to death because it fails to give me any kind of emotion.

Written by RavenKing on 20.11.2010 at 00:38

Written by slaytanic12 on 18.11.2010 at 02:02

There are very few black metal bands that can create such an amazing atmosphere like keep of kalessin did in there song winged watcher in my opinion

Funny how opinions differ, as I dislike this band precisely because their music sounds very synthesized and has zero atmosphere. I find KOK boring to death because it fails to give me any kind of emotion.

Well, I love 'Kalessin, but I'll agree there. This band really isn't much of a band for setting atmosphere. It's basically a melodeath band with a few prog elements and some blast beats thrown in.

I see KOK more as a straightforward band, kinda like 1349 is straightforward (though they don't sound like each other). And I see no atmosphere in this kind of band. For me, their music is fast, with a polished sound. Nothing atmospheric.

Written by RavenKing on 20.11.2010 at 00:38

Written by slaytanic12 on 18.11.2010 at 02:02

There are very few black metal bands that can create such an amazing atmosphere like keep of kalessin did in there song winged watcher in my opinion

Funny how opinions differ, as I dislike this band precisely because their music sounds very synthesized and has zero atmosphere. I find KOK boring to death because it fails to give me any kind of emotion.

well most of there songs dont but that one does

Never listened to this band, but my girlfriend sent me a link with their performance of "The Divine Land" with Alexander Rybak at Eurovision or some MGP intermission. Pretty cool!

I think black metal just died a little.

Written by ForeverDarkWoods on 23.01.2011 at 10:50

I think black metal just died a little.

Not all bands are sellouts craving for mainstream acceptance (fortunately for us!) like Keep of Kalessin.
In a sense, things like that can be seen as dangerous for real metal. But I don't think Black Metal as a genre will take the road taken by shitty mainstream pseudo-BM bands like KoK, Dimmu Borgir, etc.
Just don't see them as BM. They're not BM anyway. Well, they're crap nowadays.

But I think I understand your feelings. Bands like that drag extreme metal in the mud. Fuck you in advance to those who will blame me for my close-mindedness but that's not how metal should be. I will never endorse this kind of behaviour that belongs to the mainstream.

EDIT: They're talented instrumentists but I disapprove what they're doing.

Written by RavenKing on 23.01.2011 at 14:47

Written by ForeverDarkWoods on 23.01.2011 at 10:50

I think black metal just died a little.

Not all bands are sellouts craving for mainstream acceptance (fortunately for us!) like Keep of Kalessin.
In a sense, things like that can be seen as dangerous for real metal. But I don't think Black Metal as a genre will take the road taken by shitty mainstream pseudo-BM bands like KoK, Dimmu Borgir, etc.
Just don't see them as BM. They're not BM anyway. Well, they're crap nowadays.

But I think I understand your feelings. Bands like that drag extreme metal in the mud. Fuck you in advance to those who will blame me for my close-mindedness but that's not how metal should be. I will never endorse this kind of behaviour that belongs to the mainstream.

Of course not all bands are sellouts, but what I mean is that if the originators saw this video of a supposed black metal band performing a shitty pop song with a eurovision winner, then not only Dead would have killed himself.

The worst part is that this shit isn't even the worst. If you look up Winds of Plague (supposedly blackcore) and their video for their song The Impaler, then you'll really understand how bad it gets. That video is the epitome of everything that black metal is not.

Black metal is one of the best genres out there, but it spawned a lot of retarded shit that somehow managed to derive itself from bm. If this and Winds of Plague are any indication, I suspect we will see a lot worse in the years to come.

Written by ForeverDarkWoods on 23.01.2011 at 15:14

Of course not all bands are sellouts, but what I mean is that if the originators saw this video of a supposed black metal band performing a shitty pop song with a eurovision winner, then not only Dead would have killed himself.

I really laughed when I read this part. Though it is far from funny. It's your way of stating it that is funny.

Written by ForeverDarkWoods on 23.01.2011 at 15:14

The worst part is that this shit isn't even the worst. If you look up Winds of Plague (supposedly blackcore) and their video for their song The Impaler, then you'll really understand how bad it gets. That video is the epitome of everything that black metal is not.

I haven't seen this and, by the way you describe it, I don't want to.

Written by ForeverDarkWoods on 23.01.2011 at 15:14

Black metal is one of the best genres out there, but it spawned a lot of retarded shit that somehow managed to derive itself from bm. If this and Winds of Plague are any indication, I suspect we will see a lot worse in the years to come.

Yes, BM spawned a lot of crap. It's my favorite genre but I won't kid myself about it. I said it already: I think BM is either awesome or completely sucks, with little in the middle.


Experimentation can lead to great and unexpected things but it can also lead to utterly derivative crap, indeed. Experimentation is a double-edge sword. I think there is basically 2 kinds of experimentation:

1) Trying to find new ideas while remaining true to the genre. In other terms, finding new ideas within the boundaries of the genre. This, I find OK.

2) Trying to experiment by mixing BM with other genres. This usually leads to utter crap and nonsense. I think this kind of experimentation will almost always fail and I don't endorse it.

I think we will see lots of shit and nonsensical experimentation in the next years but there will always be bands to stay true to their roots. The best thing to do is checking unknown bands and everything kinda old school, while ignoring what is known and trendy (as it usually sucks big time).
There is still awesome stuff but we need to look under the surface. But, wasn't it always like that?
The most popular things were never the best.

Well, reptillian is godly.....better riffs than armada, id say. and the elephant in the room that is dragon tower...well, by itself its a silly bouncy song, but on that album i usually dont skip it. i love these guys