Being a solo project by Jakob Björnfot (The Duskfall and Autumn Death) Kvaen was born in the fires of black metal. That’s not all though, the band explores the 80’s infernal speed metal reign while also having a touch of pagan/viking metal to add some spice to it. The Funeral Pyre being the debut it already features a lot of class session musicians such as Sebastian Ramstedt (Necrophobic, ex-Nifelheim), Perra Karlsson (Dreadful Fate, In Aeternum, ex-Deströyer 666) and Danni Jelsgaard (ex-Svartsot), and boy are we in for a wild ride!

Already on the first track “Revenge by Fire” you’re blessed with wicked riffs and just a relentless mix of black and speed metal in the veins of Nifelheim, Deströyer 666 and Desaster. This is the stuff that gets you going and if you don’t headbang to this your dead inside (well maybe you are but headbang anyways). The album then simply doesn’t let you breathe as you’re now caught in the funeral pyre, just embrace it. To follow up the sweet first track there is “Yee Naaldlooshii” which was a previously released single that I’d already heard countless of times, it is still a wicked banger and I can’t seem to grow tired of it. In the end, be it the slower, leaning more towards the black metal world, “The Wolves Throne” or previously mentioned “Revenge by Fire” Kvaen delivers some of the best music I’ve heard. Kvaen does a splendid job delivering that old school feeling but with a modern touch (great production etc).

To say this is the best album I’ve heard two months into 2020 is not an understatement. While I loved the albums by, for example, Svarttjern and Lorna Shore this is slightly better and hits all the right spots. Black Lion Records have released a lot of good metal but this is their best release since the amazing Hyperion album Seraphical Euphony. A must listen.

Artist: Kvaen

Label: Black Lion Records

For fans of: Deströyer 666 & Desaster

Release date: February 28th, 2020

Favorite song: Revenge by Fire

Score: 4.5/5 Incredible