Norway’s Kvelertak are set to drop their fourth album Splid, the band’s first featuring new singer Ivar Nikolaisen, on February 14th via Rise Records. Late last year, they premiered the LP’s lead single, “Bråtebrann,”which they then followed it up with “Crack of Doom,” which features guest vocals by Mastodon’s Troy Sanders. Today, February 10th, they’ve offered up single No. 3, the slightly more chilled-out and down-tempo “Fanden Ta Dette Hull.”
“In Stavanger city museum, there used to be a exhibition in the basement called ‘Crooked Animals and Smiling Skeletons,'” the band commented. “The story behind this name is pretty simple. Most of the skeletons are as old as the museum. They had, after so many years, become crooked and it looked like they were smiling. The first thing you could see was a skeleton of ‘Homo Sapiens’ and it was a real skeleton of a man who grew up in my neighborhood in the 19th century. This guy was buried last year, in 2019. ‘Fanden Ta Dette Hull’ is the story of his life. And what a life!”
Splid was recorded with Converge guitarist and noted heavy-music producer and engineer Kurt Ballou at his GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts, where Kvelertak also made their self-titled debut and it’s follow-up Meir. “Working with Kurt again has been amazing and we’re extremely happy with the production,” the group enthused in a joint statement. “We’ve pushed ourselves to the edge this last year — musically, physically, and mentally. The result is one hour of catchy riffs, punk rock, and heavy metal influenced by a world in discord to accompany our way towards Ragnarok.”
See the album cover and track listing below.
Splid track listing:
“Rogaland”
“Crack of Doom” Feat. Troy Sanders
“Necrosoft”
“Discord”
“Bråtebrann”
“Uglas hegemoni”
“Fanden ta dette hull!”
“Tevling”
“Stevnemøte med Satan”
“Delirium tremens”
“Ved bredden av Nihil”
