4 - Tracklisting
1.Where Gods Go To Pray 06:57
2.Authenticity & The Illusion of Enough 07:06
3.Slow Death of Life 04:18
4.Earthly Algorithms 04:25
5.Chill For a Church 05:54
6.The Brink 05:11
7.The Black Mailbox 04:00
8.Alchemy of Identity 06:46
Members
Jay Erbe - drums
Gabe Langston - guitar
Christopher Lee - guitar, vocals
Greg Traw - Bass
Review
4 is the debut full length album from Portland, Oregon based Doom/Stoner Rockers - Kvasir. I became a fan of this band when I premiered their single The Black Mailbox from this very album and when I interviewed them recently as well. I checked out their previous releases and I was taken back by the sheer scale and ground they cover within the Doom/Stoner Rock sounds they use to create their own winning blend of addictive based music.
4 showcases what Kvasir does brilliantly well by effortlessly moving from Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, Psych Rock, Occult Rock, Classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal without breaking a sweat. The album combines all the classic landmark elements of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal from the last 45 years or so and still sounding fresh on it’s terms.
Kvasir feel they play and write music for the underground Doom/Stoner Metal scene with a swagger I haven’t heard since the early days of The Sword. Add other great influences such as Thin Lizzy and Black Sabbath with the lyrics most definitely rooted in 70s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal and beyond.
The album contains 8 tracks running near to 45 minutes in length with Kvasir bringing a different musical identity to each of the songs. So not all of the songs sound remotely the same. They may have a familiar Psych Doom/Stoner Metal vibe but Kvasir allows themselves to try different things with each song on the record.
The songs I enjoyed and appreciated the most on 4 were: Where Gods Go To Pray, Authenticity & The Illusion of Enough, Chill For A Church, The Black Mailbox and Alchemy Of Identity with Kvasir perhaps bringing their best ideas and grooves for these songs. They had the heaviest moments where I truly appreciated their full creative vision.
The instrumental work is stunning throughout and the Psychedelic and Occult Rock parts of the album is where everything comes together for a more powerful audio experience you wouldn’t initially expect. The vocals from Christopher, is top-drawer and he brings a magnetic presence with his performance and brings a world-weary charm to the album whilst still allowing other members of Kvasir show off their own impeccable talent to whoever is listening.
Yeah, I kind of enjoyed this record if you’re looking for a special “Retro/Throwback” album whilst keeping inline with modern ideas and sounds, well Kvasir have delivered a spellbinding debut release to make themselves known.
Words by Steve Howe
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