Kvaen is a one-man black metal band from Swedish musician Jacob Björnfot (ex-The Duskfall, Autumn Death) that formed in 2019. “The Formless Fires” is Kvaen’s third full-length album, having also released a split in 2021.
I’ve been following them since the beginning and if “The Formless Fires,” is any indication, Kvaen is going to turn into one of the most consistent projects in the scene. The album’s production is impeccable—both dynamic and vibrant to bring out the album’s intricacies and details. It’s much cleaner than a lot of black metal but, while that might be a problem for some, it doesn’t take away from their raw energy and powerful songwriting.
Each song is chock full of blistering solos, harmonies, melodies…everything you could ever want in melodic black has been incorporated into the 8 song, 39 minute runtime. Sure, it has all been heard before, but with songwriting this sharp, it just doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, it isn’t what you do that matters but how you do it. And Kvaen does their craft so goddamn well.
It is worth noting “The Formless Fires,” has a much heavier and fuller tone to it because Fredrik Andersson (A Canorous Quintet, Vananidr, ex-Amon Amarth, among many others) offers his always impressive and towering drumming style to the album. Jacob handles vocals and all the other instruments—and he brings his best performance yet.
Overall, each song is along the same lines but there is enough variety to differentiate them, even if it’s not exactly dynamic. But the result is every song being a banger, engaging and a great example of modern black metal.
The album opens with the title track and is not only a great representation of the album’s sound but for the band in general. If you are already a fan then one listen to this song will let you know the rest of the album is up to par. However, if you’re new to their sound, this one will grab you and you’ll find no disappointment in their other music.
A crushing riff opens the song as drums scatter the notes about just before the bass begins to help ramp up the song. The raspy blackened screams are raw but intelligible, making for catchy vocal lines that blend in smoothly with the fast paced riffs and drums. A cleverly written guitar solo that is equal parts a ripper and crafty, leads to an atmospheric passage of riffs that hang in the air as the drums build up the tension.
If the riffs on “Tornets Sang” don’t get your blood pumping then you’re lame or dead. The vocals are very powerful on this song, screaming loudly between the moments of riffs dropping. Some thrash influences can be heard throughout, interspersed with tons of groove. This is one of the more catchy songs on the album.
“Basilik” is a blackened mania, vicious and perpetually hurtling forward. The drums and guitars take turns seeing who can play faster and meaner before a guitar solo rips through it. I love how the drums compliment the cadence of the vocals in the halfway point before the solo appears.
The album ends on a somber note with “The Wings of Death.” The clean tones blend in with the distortion as the drums push through. It’s heavy but tragic and progresses from there. There is a lot of atmosphere on this song, living in the liminal space in between the other instruments. Despite its more depressive tone, the energy is palpable as the band fires on all cylinders.
“The Formless Fires,” is another excellent album from a band who can seemingly do little wrong, offering a third album that trump their other two.
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