Band:	Koldbrann
Album:	Nekrotisk Inkvisition
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	April 2003

01. Fortapelse i Svovel og Helvetesild
02. Kaosmanifest
03. Koldbrann
04. Liturgi i Dissonans
05. Fra Allfars Veg
06. Korpus Sepsis
07. Den Endelige
08. Phlegetons Bredder
09. Inkvisitor Renegat

So I spent some time listening to Koldbrann's "Nekrotisk Inkvisition", analysed the music and decided to put the impressions down in writing. Koldbrann are representatives of the Norwegian black metal field. "Nekrotisk Inkvisition" was released in 2003 being their first album.

Film-like special sound effects introduce the first track "Fortapelse I Svovel Og Helvetesild" and the Norwegian black metallers start playing their debut work. The vocalist performs reasonably well singing the text of the songs clearly rather than just screeching as some musicians do. The clear pronunciation of the text while using extreme vocal technique is quite a challenge and singers don't always succeed. It's nice to hear that Koldbrann manages the task fine. The lyrics in the Norwegian language are best choice for creating the original atmosphere. Even if the listener isn't a Norwegian speaker the sound of the language is music itself and in this case fits the composition very well. Scandinavian spirit emerges.

Similarities with other fine black metal bands are undoubtedly present. Both vocals and instrumental passages and themes share the same atmosphere with the Swedish group Siebenbürgen and in some places they sound very similar to Loits from Estonia. Sadly enough, it is slightly problematic to bring out any particular highlights of the album. One reason of the album being not the easiest one to follow lies in the structure of the songs and melodies. There aren't any significant thought-provoking melodies nor passages that would be compiled and tied together into certain songs. The internal structure of the album is slightly unravelled and it's more difficult to pick up the best riffs and passages in the middle of the more monotone and excessively prolonged duller sequences. My personal favourite of the album would be "Liturgi I Dissonans". The guitar part of this song has the best sound among all other songs of the album, all good qualities quit wandering around and gather to form finest facture here.

After having listened to the album quite a number of times I must make a short conclusion. The album is in classical black metal style. Modest guitar riffs, unpretentious melodies, appropriate vocals for the style and the slightly shady quality of the recording. We have a nice album not excelling in it's style but nevertheless following all the major characteristics needed. However, the album is not the best choice if one longs for some sensational musical experience. "Nekrotisk Inkvisition" is too modest for that. For the first album the band has managed to do fairly good job. It's still an album you would play in the evening while spending time and drinking with friends or at a bar. May it receive a magical seven.