Rasped vocals that, at times, sound like a wailed screech, lots of tremolo-picking to the guitars, a roaring bass, and simple patterns to the drums are the order of the day on The Outside, Kolp's second full-length album.
Although not very original, Kolp more than make up for that lack of originality with good songs and a very powerful production that is still quite rough. The guitars, though low-fi, are mixed very well and come through with power. Most noticeable, however, is the huge bass in the background to go along with a deep percussion.
Simply put, Kolp ingest a great deal of power into their assault, a sense of seething power that more than makes up for the rather pedestrian approach to the songwriting with typical black metal. Wisely, the most muted aspect of Kolp’s music are the wailed screeches, screeches that really just serve to provide layered atmosphere to the seething power.
Kolp are not quite all about basic black metal, though. Deeper into the album, a sense of droning atmosphere becomes paramount, as songs slow down a bit. In particular, the closing two tracks, “Interface Has Dissolved” and “The Outside,” really showcase this aspect of Kolp’s music and, arguably, these two songs are the band’s finest hour on The Outside.
The Outside is powerful slab of black metal, and fans of the genre will find much to like in Kolp.
(released November 13, 2012 on Temple Of Tortuous)
