CoC : Khold - Masterpiss of Pain : Review

Khold - _Masterpiss of Pain_
(Moonfog, 2001)
by: Aaron McKay (6.5 out of 10)

This four-piece outfit from Norway exposes some of the more inclement elements to the black metal world with _Masterpiss of Pain_. I hear a lot of Tulus' _Evil 1999_ [CoC #43] on this CD, and that is a really good thing. "Old" is a word I might use to describe Khold. The band's style is by no means stale, but the style evident on _Masterpiss of Pain_ is archaically deliberate -- so much so that the listener either becomes drowsy or hyper; I find little middle ground between the two. Written in ancient Norwegian language, Khold adds to their mystique. This fails them in only one place that I can tell -- track eight, "Mesterverk av Smerte". The linguistics and panache fail to connect and the song comes across as missing its mark. Other than that, I should appreciate _Masterpiss of Pain_ more than I do, but anymore, if it is not truly an outstanding effort, I cannot reward banal efforts with good marks. Khold is better than most, granted, but musically it leaves me a bit on the chilly-side. First, find yourself a copy of _Evil 1999_; a superior effort in the same vein, only more interesting.

(article published 12/8/2001)