Keep of Kalessin
Reptilian

"Will "Reptilian" determine whether Keep Of Kalessin will reach the next level or remain what they are now".

The phrase, spoken by Obsidian Claw, the leader of the Norwegian band, can’t help but leave a bit of a bitter taste in the mouth of all the group's fans. So, the year is 2010, and after the admirable "Armada" (2006) and the convincing "Kolossus", Keep Of Kalessin return with "Reptilian", a work that not only doesn't elevate the band's level, but to be honest, it actually makes it drop, albeit by a few steps.

Having almost entirely abandoned their Black metal roots, the Norwegian group delivers an album that could be classified as "Extreme epic metal": in plain words, Keep Of Kalessin complete the musical evolution (devolution?) begun with "Armada", producing an album that at times offers curious insights (the swordsmen dueling in the background-"Leaving The Mortal Flesh"), peppered with choirs that wink at Power, well pumped by the frantic-paced parts, and embellished by intoxicating keyboards. The entire album constantly balances between brutality (opening-track "Dragon Iconography") and softness ("Dark As Moonless Night" above all, which is the point where they truly hit rock bottom), and is rich with contaminations of all kinds (from thrash riffs to melodeath influences, detectable in tracks like "Judgement").

If this is your first approach to Obsidian's band, you will probably find "Reptilian" noteworthy and commendable; indeed, the album manages to stand out in what is today a very crowded environment (that of contaminated extreme metal), but this is the least that one could legitimately expect from Keep Of Kalessin. In fact, long-standing fans have good reasons to turn up their noses, given the complete upheaval of the group’s original sound, while newer fans were nonetheless accustomed to works that, although less ambitious, were more than valid in terms of wholeness; from this point of view, however, "Reptilian" remains rather weak. The same final track, "Reptilian Majesty", can be taken as a summary of the album: 14 well-played minutes, excellent songwriting...but a gaudy display of "scagazzoneria". However, for those who love unorthodox metal or simply wish to travel with their imagination to mythical and distant lands, "Reptilian" will represent a rare and precious ornament...just like the ebony scale of a dragon.