Krallice - Ygg huur (2015)^{Release ID: 6811}

Billed as "Masters of progressive black metal" by one fan on Bandcamp, Krallice certainly have their own sound on show on their latest release "Ygg huur". Coming to the band for the first time with this release it's hard to be anything other than astonished by their wild, frenzied, disjointed and often chaotic (yet still technical) sound.

Imagine Gorguts on acid and you are getting close. Thankfully though even in the midst of all the jarring riffs, head mashing drum patterns and demented vocals there is a real sense if accessibility and reason somehow. 

Take "Over Spirit" for example, a furious session of manic progressive insanity all meshed together with the constant wave of the tremolo entwining the whole track together like some omnipresent serpent.

Jute Gyte drops crazy shit like this all the time but his version of spazzing BM has no sense of thought at times and as a result one of his releases can all blend into one. Sat listening to Krallice, each track is memorable. They are always linked together as recognisable being from the same album but somehow retain a sense of individuality as you work your way across the 6 tracks on offer here.

Vocally the style is more reminiscent of a blend of hardcore shouting, coupled with harsh BM raw production valued shrieking. At times they take on a more death metal slant, as in closing track "Engram". The drums are clearly being beaten to death by an octopus, they blast with a fury that no human can muster with but four limbs.

Influences come thick and fast (check out the Portal esque opening to "Bitter Meditation" before it settles into a dizzying faux calmness that is soon tempered by those grim vocals and later by those horror metal riffs also.

It is not an album all may fall in love with. Some may take a few listens to truly understand the mastery on show that is delivered in a manner that wants to drown as opposed to wash over you. It is what most term to be "a grower", like some insane climbing ivy that invades your very being and twists itself into your central nervous system.

The older I get, the more extreme metal seems to get also. Being a grown up has it moments.