Kypck - Зеро - review
Kypck - Зеро - review
Tracklist
01. Я Свободен02. 2017
03. Мне Отмщение
04. Прогулка По Неве
05. На Небе Вижу Я Лицо
06. Моя Жизнь
07. Последний Тур
08. Русофоб
09. Байкал
10. Белая Смерть
A review by
ScreamingSteelUS December 12, 2016
Erkki Seppänen's coarse, filth-encrusted voice makes Kypck sound like the vehicle for a wizened storyteller who takes an almost vulgar delight in luring stray travelers to their doom. Even without grasping the exact message of the lyrics, the average listener can apprehend a pitiless, black humor emanating from the wells of despair and human misery that otherwise inform Kypck's music. The cruel, very modern, and very Soviet wretchedness of Kypck offers a bleak spin on the usual schools of classical horror, personal anguish, and natural decay practiced by most Doom Bards of the Wretched Domain. Several verses by the tragic poet Lermontov add a further poetic poignancy to Kypck's inexorable grind.
Зеро belongs to the same sonic fraternity as Имена на стене: not quite as deathly and enrapturing as Черно, but much loftier and more engaging than Ниже. Greatly though I love Kypck as a rule, I must admit some measure of disappointment in hearing no promise of a return to the style of Черно, which remains Kypck's heaviest, bleakest, and best recording to date. The subsequent trio of albums has arrived with rather more polish and a comparative dearth of raw drudgery, which has the effect of making Kypck sound a little less consuming and a little less menacing. Nonetheless, Зеро, like Имена На Стене before it, maintains such a standard of songwriting that the overall loss is minimal.
"Я Свободен" brings a strong open with a writhing, unnerving melody that calls to mind what is perhaps Kypck's greatest strength: the ability to write ear-catching tunes that are as grim and creepy as they are karaokeable. "Русофоб" is another fantastic example; it's so easy to sing along to, and yet so chilling, and being so saturated with spite and damnation, "Русофоб" is easily my favorite song on the album. The mournful "На Небе Вижу Я Лицо," clocking in at just over 11 minutes, is Kypck's longest song to date, and the song justifies its long running time, especially once guest vocalist Anna Jousne joins in to chant the dirge alongside Erkki Seppänen.
Kypck has always made frequent use of vocal layering, but Зеро steps up the concentration and even begins focusing more on harmonies. The best example of this is "Я Свободен," on which the effect is massive: not only does the twisting progression come alive with two voices singing in tandem, but the high-pitched wailing makes the song sound even more sinister. The depressive closer, "Белая Смерть," provides another example of Seppänen's surprisingly wide range. The rhythm section retains the incredible power unearthed on Имена На Стене; the ferocious pounding of drums and perpetuous droning of industrial-strength bass adds a lot to the atmosphere and boosts the impact of songs like "Мне Отмнщение."
My only criticism of Зеро, aside from the aforementioned fact that it isn't as raw as Черно, is that the album loses momentum in more places than Имена На Стене; there are fewer standout tracks and the album does drag occasionally. Even so, with such refined performances and a unique attitude, Kypck trudges along with as much ominous gloom as ever, defying the album's pessimistic title in quality if not in spirit.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 7 |
Written on 12.12.2016 by
Written on 12.12.2016 by
Dull Music for Dull People Comments
Comments:
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Posts: 935  |
Posts: 935
Nice review man This and Crowbars new album are my favorites of the this year.
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 Posts: 1761 |
Posts: 1761
I listened to this when it was released. Rusofob and Belaya Smert were great tracks as I remember it, while Na Nebe Vizhu Ya Litso (did I transliterate that correctly?) lost me halfway through. I agree the album seems to have some problems with momentum and dynamics. While it is certainly better than both Nizhe and Imena Na Stene, it seems Kypck are having a hard time living up to their excellent debut. I will revisit this album now after reading this review though, maybe I'll change my mind.
---- My "blackened synth metal" solo project: maladomini.bandcamp.com. Whenever I write something funny, weird, or pretentious... I learned English by playing Baldur's Gate, okay?
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 Posts: 64528 |
Posts: 64528
Nice review, seems some kidn irony about cold war, same time Sami Lopakka goes regress way, he is great lyricist, read all Sentenced. Its awesome Nordic poetry
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 1761 Written by Bad English on 12.12.2016 at 22:32 I think Seppänen writes all the lyrics to Kypck. Don't think the others in the band even understand Russian  But yeah he did a great job in Sentenced no doubt. It's nice to hear some Sentenced-ish guitar work in Kypck.
---- My "blackened synth metal" solo project: maladomini.bandcamp.com. Whenever I write something funny, weird, or pretentious... I learned English by playing Baldur's Gate, okay?
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Posts: 64528 Written by Netzach on 13.12.2016 at 14:26 I think band who's not Slavic, and Russian is like alien, writes good lyrics, and few finnish need to learn it in school back when ussr was, it was like to chose as foreigner language
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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 Posts: 684 |
Posts: 684
Great review and great album. After all these years still a one-of-a-kind band.
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