Review
Kongh
Sole Creation

As I begin writing this review, we have barely scratched the surface of the new year. Still, I somehow find myself compelled to proclaim that I have already heard the best album of 2013. 

In 2009, Kongh released Shadows of the Shapeless. The album was an impressive example of the band’s epic take on doom metal. Now, the Swedish trio have returned with an album that manages to make its predecessor seem feeble in comparison.

Sole Creation finds Kongh expanding on the best aspects of the previous album while smoothing out the rough edges. The heaviness is still intact, but the band have added an emphasis on melody that creates a more progressive version of their already massive sound. David Johannson still delivers a sinister growl, but has truly grown as a singer and fully embraces the melodic atmosphere of these songs. With a spacious production that allows the vocals to sit prominently in the mix and provides ample stomping room for the monstrous rhythm section, Kongh appear even more brutal than before.

The most noticeable improvement over the previous album is in the songwriting. While the songs on Shadows were full of amazing riffs, the band seemed to struggle with putting all the pieces together. On Sole Creation the arrangements are bordering on flawless. Comprised of only four tracks, the shortest of which is just over nine minutes in length, the album rarely loses momentum or lingers on any one idea longer than necessary. The title track kicks off the album with an ominous tone that looms like a merciless beast. Kongh bring out the big riffs almost immediately. And why not? They have them stockpiled and readily available. “Tamed Brute”, the second track, displays the band’s impressive combination of control and compulsion. This brute may be tamed, but he is still one vicious motherfucker. “The Portals” finds them at their most ferocious and evokes a sense of foreboding that continues into the final track. 

“Skymning”, which translates to “Twilight”, begins with the album’s most subdued moment and slowly builds to a heavy brooding waltz. Johannson’s vocals soar above the music and guides the album to a haunting conclusion. If this album has a flaw, its that it is so good that it feels like it deserves a grand finale. Instead, our brutish captor slowly loosens his grip and disappears into the darkness. It feels like this is Kongh’s way of assuring us that the adventure is far from over.

Sole Creation could possibly stir up some Mastodon comparisons, which would definitely be warranted. Apart from sharing a similarly gargantuan namesake, Kongh have also proven themselves as a band that have the ability to truly transcend their genre. A year from now, it will be no surprise to see this album high on my “Best of 2013” list, if not sitting confidently at number one.