“Downer Surrounded by Uppers” is more fist-pumping L7 yowl and Medicine fuzz, “Knelt” is a gorgeous sludge crawl, like Kylsea, or other plodding stoner doom.
While it’s Alestorm on autopilot, “Fannybaws” is fine pirate metal. There’s a ship, beards, yo-ho-ho choruses, a blistering solo, and a midget. No wenches?
Behemoth release their blackened cover of The Cure’s ’80s classic, “A Forest.” The band scorch the forest, leveling all nuance, and pave it over with thick tar.
With last year’s release, there are now more Ihsahn solo records than there were Emperor records, so I think it’s safe to say the former Emperor frontman is committed to this new life of relentless experimentation.