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Keep Of Kalessin - Reptilian



8 | 197 votes |
Release date: 10 May 2010
Style: Melodic black metal, Progressive black metal

Owners:

221 have it
25 want it
1 trades it


01. Dragon Iconography
02. The Awakening
03. Judgement
04. The Dragontower
05. Leaving The Mortal Flesh
06. Dark As Moonless Night
07. The Divine Land
08. Reptilian Majesty

Staff review by
Daniell
Rating:
8.4
It's funny how winding some bands' career paths tend to be. Take Keep Of Kalessin. Through Times of War (1997) and Agnen: A Journey Through the Dark (1999) are pretty generic and unoriginal, although sufficiently listenable black metal albums. Musicianship, production, songwriting - everything is on an acceptable level, but they're simply not memorable. A few years later came Reclaim, an intriguing EP with Attila Csihar of Mayhem and Frost of Satyricon. Quite original, much more complex and varied, promising an interesting future for Keep of Kalessin. Somewhere between 2003 (Reclaim) and 2006 (Armada). Keep Of Kalessin underwent a significant change. Their black metal became suspiciously listenable and catchy, with production so good and clear that you could hear a bass drum pedal squeak for a bit of oil during slower (as rare as they were) moments of Armada. Pretty much the same could be said about Kolossus.

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published 04.08.2010 | Comments (16)

Found in 12 lists
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Comments

Comments: 22   Visited by: 567 users
12.04.2010 - 10:45
JotunSmeden
Wow! Featuring the #1 MGP hit single "THE DRAGONTOWER"

What happened.......
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Album Release day (May 10, 2010)
10.05.2010 - 21:17
Rating: 10
shisha
I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!
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11.05.2010 - 00:11
Valaskjalf
Account deleted
Nice stuff...pleasantly surprised actually. Much better effort than Kolossus, much more Armada vibe and they FINALLY sorted out the clean vocals!! good album!
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11.05.2010 - 04:46
Rating: 10
warrior_of_ice
Fuckin br00tal riffs by Obsidian C.
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12.05.2010 - 07:39
Rating: 8
Ag Fox
Angel No More
Elite
Still on the second track right now, but I'm really enjoying the riffs
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loves 小巫
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12.05.2010 - 11:32
Rating: 6
BudDa
Elite
This album is a disappointment for me. I love KoK and its true the band has up-ed the riff writing and catchy-ness to a new level but the 1st 4 tracks on this album lack energy. On 2/3rds of this record, Thebon's vocals lack any form of 'black metal' conviction while hes attempt at chorus singing annoys me to no end! The epic war 'atmosphere' we have known this band for is not there anymore. Of the few tracks that have any resemblance to the KoK of old, 'Leaving The Mortal Flesh' is one of them which is also my fav track off this album.
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Freeze! Step away from the hubris.
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13.05.2010 - 19:23
Valaskjalf
Account deleted
Written by BudDa on 12.05.2010 at 11:32

On 2/3rds of this record, Thebon's vocals lack any form of 'black metal' conviction while hes attempt at chorus singing annoys me to no end!

I think youre confusing it with "Kolossus", on that album his vocals sucked wayyyyy more....Im pretty impressed at least it seems he isnt tone-deaf on this release.
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14.05.2010 - 04:46
Hammer Pie
A huge improvement over Kolossus, especially the vocals. They manage to be more experimental while maintaining the energy and atmosphere of Armada. Excellent album.
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14.05.2010 - 18:54
Rating: 8
MIXHELL
Excellent album. I hate only the "The Dragontower" song. The other songs are perfect
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18.05.2010 - 22:05
Uirapuru
Liver Failure
It's good. Not a 10 or 9 for me as it seems to be for most thou...

Fans of Enslaved latest works (Ruun, Vertebrae) will simply worship this.
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member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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31.05.2010 - 23:37
paulo figueiredo
Account deleted
There are some good tunes here, "The Awakening" has a Dimmu Borgir's "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" feeling that i like very much.
"Dragon Iconography" is also great. But then there are others which are simply...meh
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11.06.2010 - 21:47
Rating: 9
RafaRata
Great album, and The Dragontower is one of the highlights IMO.
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15.06.2010 - 01:01
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Staff
Written by shisha on 10.05.2010 at 21:17

I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!

So that would put Enslaved where exactly? Last I recall they were around before Keep Of Kalessin.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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15.06.2010 - 01:02
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Doc G. on 15.06.2010 at 01:01

Written by shisha on 10.05.2010 at 21:17

I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!

So that would put Enslaved where exactly? Last I recall they were around before Keep Of Kalessin.

Or for that matter the last two Emperor albums.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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15.06.2010 - 01:19
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Staff
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 15.06.2010 at 01:02

Written by Doc G. on 15.06.2010 at 01:01

Written by shisha on 10.05.2010 at 21:17

I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!

So that would put Enslaved where exactly? Last I recall they were around before Keep Of Kalessin.

Or for that matter the last two Emperor albums.

Yeah...Well, point being, prog-black ain't anything that new.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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15.06.2010 - 01:28
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Exactly that's why i also mentioned emperor.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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15.06.2010 - 17:41
Rating: 10
shisha
Written by Doc G. on 15.06.2010 at 01:19

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 15.06.2010 at 01:02

Written by Doc G. on 15.06.2010 at 01:01

Written by shisha on 10.05.2010 at 21:17

I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!

So that would put Enslaved where exactly? Last I recall they were around before Keep Of Kalessin.

Or for that matter the last two Emperor albums.

Yeah...Well, point being, prog-black ain't anything that new.

I agree for Emperor and Enslaved. I was just amazed with what i heard on Reptilian. Maybe Reptilian will bring more light on this kind of music. It is more tastier, but also not so prog as Enslaved and Emperor.
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19.06.2010 - 04:04
Rating: 8
Eddie Misery
I was actually pleasantly surprised by this album. I really dig Keep, but after hearing the Dragontower preview I was not really sure what to think. But the rest of the songs, especially the last half of the album, are all pretty kickass. Dragontower I'm still...haha--well it doesn't matter. The rest of the cd is good imo.
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25.07.2010 - 12:22
Rating: 8
Daniell
_爱情_
Elite
Why call Reptilian prog black? It's pop-black
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10.08.2010 - 06:08
SATANSCHAMBER666
Account deleted
Brilliant Album from the first song to the last
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22.09.2010 - 17:58
Rating: 7
bodomroy
Written by shisha on 10.05.2010 at 21:17

I can freely announce creation of a new genre: Prog Black!

Ihsahn deserves that mention
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17.12.2010 - 17:40
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
I like Kolossus more, personally, but Reptilian's still an amazing album. Dragon Iconography, The Awakening, and Dark as Moonless Night are my favs... and as far as the prog black thing: yeah, it's nothing new, but it deserves much more praise and recognition than it's common to get, imo... so hail to KOK for getting it out there more.
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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