KVAEN will release their third album, and first for Metal Blade Records, The Formless Fires, on June 21, 2024
There are many great extreme metal bands in Sweden, but only one from Kalix. This remote beauty spot near the Finnish border, on the northernmost shores of the Baltic, is home to Jacob Björnfot, creative mastermind behind melodic black/death metal project, KVAEN.
A sumptuous but bitingly intense exploration of beauty and violence, KVAEN‘s The Formless Fires is a melodic black metal masterwork radiating an inspirational sense of place. Even more than 2020‘s folky, speed metal-infused debut The Funeral Pyre or 2022‘s compelling, expansive follow-up, The Great Below, the vast pine woods and icy lakes are powerfully evoked in the elemental gloom riffs, chilly melodies, and windswept solos running through these eight mighty songs.
Assisting in this record‘s immersive sweep are Björnfot‘s fascinating lyrics. Like many Swedish songwriters, his use of English reveals a love and care for the language that few native speakers even bother to rival. If this album seems less intimate and more universal than the raw candor of its predecessor, it‘s only because Björnfot‘s knack for allegory has improved. Illuminating some of the lyrical themes, Björnfot asserts “I love mythology. ’Basilisk‘ is, for example, the king of serpents but is rarely mentioned by the mainstream. ’The Perpetual Darkness‘ is about being born different from those who are ’normal.‘ It is also about being a lone wolf and banished from society. That song has become a personal favorite of mine.” Additionally, ’De Dödas Sång (Song Of The Dead)‘ tackles the disturbing theme of Ättestupa, the ancient Norse suicide ritual whereby elderly villagers jump to their deaths from sheer precipices.
Comments Björnfot on the record‘s eponymous opening track and first single, "’The Formless Fires‘ was actually written for another project of mine featuring members from Dissection, Lord Belial, Sacramentum, and Naglfar but I convinced myself to keep it for the next KVAEN album instead and I'm glad I did - this is one of my top favorites off the new album."
Watch KVAEN‘s “The Formless Fires” video HERE:
All instrumentation on The Formless Fires was composed and performed by Björnfot with the exception of drums which were resoundingly hammered by ex-Amon Amarth basher Frederik Andersson. The record features the guest solos of Sebastian Ramstedt (Necrophobic) on “Traverse The Nether” and Chaq Mol (Dark Funeral) on “The Wings Of Death.”
The Formless Fires will be available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180 g Black
Dark Midnight Blue Marbled
Copper Orange Marbled - Ltd. 400
Dark Violet Marbled - Sound Pollution Exclusive Ltd. 300
Fiery Orange Red Splatter - Ltd. 300
Blue Black & White Splatter - Ltd. 200
Find pre-orders at: www.metalblade.com/kvaen
KVAEN, an extreme metal band from Northern Sweden led by guitarist / vocalist Jacob Björnfot, is ready to unleash it's third album, The Formless Fires, on June 21, 2024 via Metal Blade Records. Check the video out at: www.youtube.com/shorts/bA4dcxVgTWY to see and hear what Jacob has to say about the pact he sealed with the Blade.
KVAEN's debut album, The Funeral Pyre, was released upon the world in early 2020. Heavily influenced by traditional speed metal, folk music, death metal, and relentless black metal, the album received stellar reviews and launched the project unto stages all over Europe.
In 2022, KVAEN released their second album, The Great Below, featuring Jeff Loomis (Arch Enemy, Nevermore), Mike Wead (Mercyful Fate, King Diamond) and Vreth (Finntroll). The album once more received a blazing reception, taking the band to a new level and proving that KVAEN truly are a force to be reckoned with. Tours through Sweden (with Manegarm) and Denmark followed, as well as festival appearances all over Europe, including Summer Breeze, Gefle Metal, Tolminator, Dark Easter Metal Meeting, and Nordfest Metal Festival.
In the fall of 2023, KVAEN toured all over Europe for five weeks supporting Insomnium. "Playing in front of hundreds of people every night and getting amazing response is without a doubt one of the highlights in KVAEN's history as a live act. Touring for five weeks can be rough, but having people like the guys from Insomnium, In Mourning, as well as the crew was nothing but excellent. I thought it would be harder but honestly it was easier than expected. I normally don't hang out that much with people, I live in the middle of absolute nowhere and have nothing but forests and snow around me but I had the time of my life and I can't wait to get back on the road again with the new album!“ KVAEN had no problems getting the attention of the Insomnium crowd even though they were a lot heavier than them. "The great thing about KVAEN is that we can adjust our setlist to different audiences since we have so many different influences. The crowds response was nothing but amazing, we sold out ALL of our merch during that run!“