Det Falmede Håb by Kold sets out to try and bring something different and new to the Atmospheric/Black Metal genre, something that will push boundaries and refuse to be restrained by the limitations of fans still locked in the “If it isn’t from the ‘golden age’ or doesn’t sound like it’s from the ‘golden age’ then it isn’t proper Black Metal’ mentality, and that alone should be praised.
After all, if a scene – any scene – stands still for too long it goes stale and dies. Just ask Punk.
Which leads to the obvious question, do Kold pull it off?
First and foremost, Det Falmede Håb is a Black Metal album. It has the tremolo picking, the blast beats, the howling vocals that are used as another instrument, the feeling of a freezing expanse waiting to swallow you whole, but yet, there is more to this record than meets the eye.
Scratch the surface and you will find Kold are not so easy to pin down.
There are Folk/Folk Metal sections on offer – as found in the epic 15 minute track Alt Vi Havde Kært– alongside Symphonic Metal passages hidden inside the likes of Det, Du Glemte. This means you can never quite get fully comfortable with Det Falmede Håb, because as soon as you think you have found the groove, the groove changes and takes you unawares. But that’s a good thing. Certain music should keep you on your toes and that’s just what this record does.
And yet, for all its twists and stylistic detours, Det Falmede Håb never feels unfocused or gimmicky. There’s a clear vision at work here, a sense that Kold know exactly when to let a melody breathe, when to unleash chaos, and when to let silence and space speak for themselves. The production leans into that vision — cold, raw enough to satisfy the purists, yet layered in a way that rewards repeat listens.
It’s an album that challenges expectations without abandoning its roots. It honours the essence of Black Metal while daring to imagine what else it could become, and in doing so, Kold have carved out a space entirely their own. Det Falmede Håb is a reminder that progress doesn’t mean forgetting where you came from.
For anyone willing to step outside the “golden age” comfort zone, this record offers a journey worth taking: unpredictable, atmospheric, brutal, and beautiful in equal measure.
Det Falmede Håb is available now.
CHOICE CUT: Alt Vi Havde Kært
RATING: 3 OUT OF 5
RATING SYSTEM:
- 0: Fucking Shit
- 1: Shit
- 2: Not Bad Shit
- 3: Pretty Good Shit
- 4: Amazing Fucking Shit
- 5: The Best Shit You Will Ever Hear
PRESS SOURCE: Cátia C./Against PR.
