Svölk – Svölk ‘em All

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With an album and an EP under their belt since their formation in 2005, plus the rather silly self-created genre description “bear metal”, Svölk ‘em All actually represents Norwegian stoners Svölk’s international commercial debut, with the first two releases only seeing Scandinavian distribution. The album itself manages to set all expections in the space of just ten minutes. From the moment Svölk turn a swampy country groove into a monumental riff on opening track 52 they have immediately set the highest point of Svölk ‘em All. And with the follow-up, This Is It, they set the dirty, messy low point as well. After that they can never lift their Mustasch-meets-Thin Lizzy brand of pacey stoner metal back up to the heights of 52. They never sink as low as This Is It either, but spend the subsequent 50 minutes riffing for all they’re worth in the middle ground. There are hooks and riffs a plenty throughout the remaining ten tracks, but every one fades in the echoes of 52, never getting above five when they started at eleven. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of potential in Svölk, and their heavy, no-nonsense style will carry over brilliantly in a live setting, they just need some more compelling songs to fill an album. Or just don’t blow everything with the opening salvo.

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2011, Albums, Quick.Play Reviews, Stoner, Svölk