'Bvmp n grind'review for @noobheavy by @EspiKvlt

"The album opens with “kvrvkvlt”, which is a sweet nod to black metal and shows how influential it is on this band (particularly that of the Venom variety). Sexy guitar riffs echo through the track to the point where I can smell Nikki Sixx’s hairspray when I listen to it. Speaking of big hair, the next track, “rogve”, not only addresses it but also gets into the gender and sexuality fuckery this band loves to add to their music. You probably noticed the cover of the album is a pregnant kvrv being held by a not-so-pregnant la. If you looked at the digital booklet that comes with the album, you’d also notice the amount of excessive makeup, androgyny, and filters being used throughout. This band isn’t hiding it: they’re here to mess around with gender and sex and they’re right in your face about it. The song “rogve” takes that to the next level with lyrics like “taking off my lady mask,” which is certainly up for interpretation, but I think most people can read between the lines here. Not only is the gender being messed with, but it’s being messed with in an erotic setting, which I really appreciate. So much of the current discourse around gender and sexuality is afraid to be sexy with it, for very valid reasons, but it’s a breath of fresh air to see it so prominently addressed here.

"ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᚩᛈᛖᚾᛋ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ “kvᚱvkvᛚᛏ”, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁᛋ ᚪ ᛋᚹᛖᛖᛏ ᚾᚩᛞ ᛏᚩ ᛒᛚᚪᚳk ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᚻᚩᚹᛋ ᚻᚩᚹ ᛁᚾᚠᛚᚢᛖᚾᛏᛁᚪᛚ ᛁᛏ ᛁᛋ ᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛒᚪᚾᛞ (ᛈᚪᚱᛏᛁᚳᚢᛚᚪᚱᛚᚣ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛖ vᛖᚾᚩᛗ vᚪᚱᛁᛖᛏᚣ). ᛋᛖᛉᚣ ᚷᚢᛁᛏᚪᚱ ᚱᛁᚠᚠᛋ ᛖᚳᚻᚩ ᛏᚻᚱᚩᚢᚷᚻ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛏᚱᚪᚳk ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛈᚩᛁᚾᛏ ᚹᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᛁ ᚳᚪᚾ ᛋᛗᛖᛚᛚ ᚾᛁkkᛁ ᛋᛁᛉᛉ’ᛋ ᚻᚪᛁᚱᛋᛈᚱᚪᚣ ᚹᚻᛖᚾ ᛁ ᛚᛁᛋᛏᛖᚾ ᛏᚩ ᛁᛏ. ᛋᛈᛖᚪkᛁᚾᚷ ᚩᚠ ᛒᛁᚷ ᚻᚪᛁᚱ, ᛏᚻᛖ ᚾᛖᛉᛏ ᛏᚱᚪᚳk, “ᚱᚩᚷvᛖ”, ᚾᚩᛏ ᚩᚾᛚᚣ ᚪᛞᛞᚱᛖᛋᛋᛖᛋ ᛁᛏ ᛒᚢᛏ ᚪᛚᛋᚩ ᚷᛖᛏᛋ ᛁᚾᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛖᛉᚢᚪᛚᛁᛏᚣ ᚠᚢᚳkᛖᚱᚣ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛒᚪᚾᛞ ᛚᚩvᛖᛋ ᛏᚩ ᚪᛞᛞ ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖᛁᚱ ᛗᚢᛋᛁᚳ. ᚣᚩᚢ ᛈᚱᚩᛒᚪᛒᛚᚣ ᚾᚩᛏᛁᚳᛖᛞ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚳᚩvᛖᚱ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᛁᛋ ᚪ ᛈᚱᛖᚷᚾᚪᚾᛏ kvᚱv ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᚻᛖᛚᛞ ᛒᚣ ᚪ ᚾᚩᛏ-ᛋᚩ-ᛈᚱᛖᚷᚾᚪᚾᛏ ᛚᚪ. ᛁᚠ ᚣᚩᚢ ᛚᚩᚩkᛖᛞ ᚪᛏ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛞᛁᚷᛁᛏᚪᛚ ᛒᚩᚩkᛚᛖᛏ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚳᚩᛗᛖᛋ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ, ᚣᚩᚢ’ᛞ ᚪᛚᛋᚩ ᚾᚩᛏᛁᚳᛖ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛗᚩᚢᚾᛏ ᚩᚠ ᛖᛉᚳᛖᛋᛋᛁvᛖ ᛗᚪkᛖᚢᛈ, ᚪᚾᛞᚱᚩᚷᚣᚾᚣ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᚠᛁᛚᛏᛖᚱᛋ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᚢᛋᛖᛞ ᛏᚻᚱᚩᚢᚷᚻᚩᚢᛏ. ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛒᚪᚾᛞ ᛁᛋᚾ’ᛏ ᚻᛁᛞᛁᚾᚷ ᛁᛏ: ᛏᚻᛖᚣ’ᚱᛖ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᛏᚩ ᛗᛖᛋᛋ ᚪᚱᚩᚢᚾᛞ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛖᛉ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛏᚻᛖᚣ’ᚱᛖ ᚱᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᛁᚾ ᚣᚩᚢᚱ ᚠᚪᚳᛖ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ ᛁᛏ. ᛏᚻᛖ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ “ᚱᚩᚷvᛖ” ᛏᚪkᛖᛋ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚾᛖᛉᛏ ᛚᛖvᛖᛚ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ ᛚᛁkᛖ “ᛏᚪkᛁᚾᚷ ᚩᚠᚠ ᛗᚣ ᛚᚪᛞᚣ ᛗᚪᛋk,” ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁᛋ ᚳᛖᚱᛏᚪᛁᚾᛚᚣ ᚢᛈ ᚠᚩᚱ ᛁᚾᛏᛖᚱᛈᚱᛖᛏᚪᛏᛁᚩᚾ, ᛒᚢᛏ ᛁ ᛏᚻᛁᚾk ᛗᚩᛋᛏ ᛈᛖᚩᛈᛚᛖ ᚳᚪᚾ ᚱᛖᚪᛞ ᛒᛖᛏᚹᛖᛖᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛚᛁᚾᛖᛋ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ. ᚾᚩᛏ ᚩᚾᛚᚣ ᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᛗᛖᛋᛋᛖᛞ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ, ᛒᚢᛏ ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᛗᛖᛋᛋᛖᛞ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛁᚾ ᚪᚾ ᛖᚱᚩᛏᛁᚳ ᛋᛖᛏᛏᛁᚾᚷ, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁ ᚱᛖᚪᛚᛚᚣ ᚪᛈᛈᚱᛖᚳᛁᚪᛏᛖ. ᛋᚩ ᛗᚢᚳᚻ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚳᚢᚱᚱᛖᚾᛏ ᛞᛁᛋᚳᚩᚢᚱᛋᛖ ᚪᚱᚩᚢᚾᛞ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛖᛉᚢᚪᛚᛁᛏᚣ ᛁᛋ ᚪᚠᚱᚪᛁᛞ ᛏᚩ ᛒᛖ ᛋᛖᛉᚣ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛁᛏ, ᚠᚩᚱ vᛖᚱᚣ vᚪᛚᛁᛞ ᚱᛖᚪᛋᚩᚾᛋ, ᛒᚢᛏ ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᚪ ᛒᚱᛖᚪᛏᚻ ᚩᚠ ᚠᚱᛖᛋᚻ ᚪᛁᚱ ᛏᚩ ᛋᛖᛖ ᛁᛏ ᛋᚩ ᛈᚱᚩᛗᛁᚾᛖᚾᛏᛚᚣ ᚪᛞᛞᚱᛖᛋᛋᛖᛞ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ.

This trend carries into the next song, “freak”, which I might add, in the booklet, features an extremely androgynous person with both excessive, feminine face makeup and a beard, which I enjoyed so much. The lyric “they flubbed a chromosome” is also hinting at things that need not be explicitly stated, we can figure it out. The instrumentation on this one is very reminiscent of an 80’s goth club. With a danceable beat, dark undertones, and post-punk influence, this song is an anthem for all the freaks. Our next track, “horrorglam”, can easily be used as a genre descriptor for this band. It has the most classic rock sound of all the tracks on the album, to the point where it made me feel nostalgic despite being a song released in 2022. It’s reminiscent of songs like “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. It’s got that same sultry voice and sexy lyrics over a sick guitar riff and smooth drumming in the background as its foundation.

ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛏᚱᛖᚾᛞ ᚳᚪᚱᚱᛁᛖᛋ ᛁᚾᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚾᛖᛉᛏ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ, “ᚠᚱᛖᚪk”, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁ ᛗᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᚪᛞᛞ, ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᚩᚩkᛚᛖᛏ, ᚠᛖᚪᛏᚢᚱᛖᛋ ᚪᚾ ᛖᛉᛏᚱᛖᛗᛖᛚᚣ ᚪᚾᛞᚱᚩᚷᚣᚾᚩᚢᛋ ᛈᛖᚱᛋᚩᚾ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛒᚩᛏᚻ ᛖᛉᚳᛖᛋᛋᛁvᛖ, ᚠᛖᛗᛁᚾᛁᚾᛖ ᚠᚪᚳᛖ ᛗᚪkᛖᚢᛈ ᚪᚾᛞ ᚪ ᛒᛖᚪᚱᛞ, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁ ᛖᚾᛡᚩᚣᛖᛞ ᛋᚩ ᛗᚢᚳᚻ. ᛏᚻᛖ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳ “ᛏᚻᛖᚣ ᚠᛚᚢᛒᛒᛖᛞ ᚪ ᚳᚻᚱᚩᛗᚩᛋᚩᛗᛖ” ᛁᛋ ᚪᛚᛋᚩ ᚻᛁᚾᛏᛁᚾᚷ ᚪᛏ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷᛋ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚾᛖᛖᛞ ᚾᚩᛏ ᛒᛖ ᛖᛉᛈᛚᛁᚳᛁᛏᛚᚣ ᛋᛏᚪᛏᛖᛞ, ᚹᛖ ᚳᚪᚾ ᚠᛁᚷᚢᚱᛖ ᛁᛏ ᚩᚢᛏ. ᛏᚻᛖ ᛁᚾᛋᛏᚱᚢᛗᛖᚾᛏᚪᛏᛁᚩᚾ ᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᚩᚾᛖ ᛁᛋ vᛖᚱᚣ ᚱᛖᛗᛁᚾᛁᛋᚳᛖᚾᛏ ᚩᚠ ᚪᚾ 80’ᛋ ᚷᚩᛏᚻ ᚳᛚᚢᛒ. ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᚪ ᛞᚪᚾᚳᛖᚪᛒᛚᛖ ᛒᛖᚪᛏ, ᛞᚪᚱk ᚢᚾᛞᛖᚱᛏᚩᚾᛖᛋ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᛈᚩᛋᛏ-ᛈᚢᚾk ᛁᚾᚠᛚᚢᛖᚾᚳᛖ, ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᛁᛋ ᚪᚾ ᚪᚾᛏᚻᛖᛗ ᚠᚩᚱ ᚪᛚᛚ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚠᚱᛖᚪkᛋ. ᚩᚢᚱ ᚾᛖᛉᛏ ᛏᚱᚪᚳk, “ᚻᚩᚱᚱᚩᚱᚷᛚᚪᛗ”, ᚳᚪᚾ ᛖᚪᛋᛁᛚᚣ ᛒᛖ ᚢᛋᛖᛞ ᚪᛋ ᚪ ᚷᛖᚾᚱᛖ ᛞᛖᛋᚳᚱᛁᛈᛏᚩᚱ ᚠᚩᚱ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛒᚪᚾᛞ. ᛁᛏ ᚻᚪᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛗᚩᛋᛏ ᚳᛚᚪᛋᛋᛁᚳ ᚱᚩᚳk ᛋᚩᚢᚾᛞ ᚩᚠ ᚪᛚᛚ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛏᚱᚪᚳkᛋ ᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ, ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛈᚩᛁᚾᛏ ᚹᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᛁᛏ ᛗᚪᛞᛖ ᛗᛖ ᚠᛖᛖᛚ ᚾᚩᛋᛏᚪᛚᚷᛁᚳ ᛞᛖᛋᛈᛁᛏᛖ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᚪ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᚱᛖᛚᛖᚪᛋᛖᛞ ᛁᚾ 2022. ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᚱᛖᛗᛁᚾᛁᛋᚳᛖᚾᛏ ᚩᚠ ᛋᚩᚾᚷᛋ ᛚᛁkᛖ “ᚹᚻᚩᛚᛖ ᛚᚩᛏᛏᚪ ᛚᚩvᛖ” ᛒᚣ ᛚᛖᛞ zᛖᛈᛈᛖᛚᛁᚾ. ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᚷᚩᛏ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛋᚪᛗᛖ ᛋᚢᛚᛏᚱᚣ vᚩᛁᚳᛖ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛖᛉᚣ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ ᚩvᛖᚱ ᚪ ᛋᛁᚳk ᚷᚢᛁᛏᚪᚱ ᚱᛁᚠᚠ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛗᚩᚩᛏᚻ ᛞᚱᚢᛗᛗᛁᚾᚷ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᚪᚳkᚷᚱᚩᚢᚾᛞ ᚪᛋ ᛁᛏᛋ ᚠᚩᚢᚾᛞᚪᛏᛁᚩᚾ.

My favorite track on the album is “dollcore”, which opens with an extremely fun drum beat which is perfect for this song about dressing up your favorite doll and wearing its clothes (among other more sexual things). There is once again a playing with gender here with these lyrics I just adore: “boys may be girls / girls might be boys / that’s what I like about you / toys will always be toys.” It’s giving me that sweet feeling of whatever gender you are, you’re just a person (and possibly a person I’d like to play with). I also love the breathy vocals on this one. I felt like I was right in that playroom with them, and I mean that in the same multiple levels of interpretation that this song has.

ᛗᚣ ᚠᚪvᚩᚱᛁᛏᛖ ᛏᚱᚪᚳk ᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᛁᛋ “ᛞᚩᛚᛚᚳᚩᚱᛖ”, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᚩᛈᛖᚾᛋ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᚪᚾ ᛖᛉᛏᚱᛖᛗᛖᛚᚣ ᚠᚢᚾ ᛞᚱᚢᛗ ᛒᛖᚪᛏ ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᛁᛋ ᛈᛖᚱᚠᛖᚳᛏ ᚠᚩᚱ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ ᛞᚱᛖᛋᛋᛁᚾᚷ ᚢᛈ ᚣᚩᚢᚱ ᚠᚪvᚩᚱᛁᛏᛖ ᛞᚩᛚᛚ ᚪᚾᛞ ᚹᛖᚪᚱᛁᚾᚷ ᛁᛏᛋ ᚳᛚᚩᛏᚻᛖᛋ (ᚪᛗᚩᚾᚷ ᚩᛏᚻᛖᚱ ᛗᚩᚱᛖ ᛋᛖᛉᚢᚪᛚ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷᛋ). ᛏᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᛁᛋ ᚩᚾᚳᛖ ᚪᚷᚪᛁᚾ ᚪ ᛈᛚᚪᚣᛁᚾᚷ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛏᚻᛖᛋᛖ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ ᛁ ᛡᚢᛋᛏ ᚪᛞᚩᚱᛖ: “ᛒᚩᚣᛋ ᛗᚪᚣ ᛒᛖ ᚷᛁᚱᛚᛋ / ᚷᛁᚱᛚᛋ ᛗᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᛒᛖ ᛒᚩᚣᛋ / ᛏᚻᚪᛏ’ᛋ ᚹᚻᚪᛏ ᛁ ᛚᛁkᛖ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ ᚣᚩᚢ / ᛏᚩᚣᛋ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᚪᛚᚹᚪᚣᛋ ᛒᛖ ᛏᚩᚣᛋ.” ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᚷᛁvᛁᚾᚷ ᛗᛖ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛋᚹᛖᛖᛏ ᚠᛖᛖᛚᛁᚾᚷ ᚩᚠ ᚹᚻᚪᛏᛖvᛖᚱ ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚣᚩᚢ ᚪᚱᛖ, ᚣᚩᚢ’ᚱᛖ ᛡᚢᛋᛏ ᚪ ᛈᛖᚱᛋᚩᚾ (ᚪᚾᛞ ᛈᚩᛋᛋᛁᛒᛚᚣ ᚪ ᛈᛖᚱᛋᚩᚾ ᛁ’ᛞ ᛚᛁkᛖ ᛏᚩ ᛈᛚᚪᚣ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ). ᛁ ᚪᛚᛋᚩ ᛚᚩvᛖ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᚱᛖᚪᛏᚻᚣ vᚩᚳᚪᛚᛋ ᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᚩᚾᛖ. ᛁ ᚠᛖᛚᛏ ᛚᛁkᛖ ᛁ ᚹᚪᛋ ᚱᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛈᛚᚪᚣᚱᚩᚩᛗ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛏᚻᛖᛗ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᛁ ᛗᛖᚪᚾ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛋᚪᛗᛖ ᛗᚢᛚᛏᛁᛈᛚᛖ ᛚᛖvᛖᛚᛋ ᚩᚠ ᛁᚾᛏᛖᚱᛈᚱᛖᛏᚪᛏᛁᚩᚾ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᚻᚪᛋ.

There is a massive tonal shift when the next song, “my goth nvrse” (great title) starts. All the songs so far have had that slight creepy undertone, but it’s not slight in the least here. The vocals have changed to an echoey, soft breathing. The drumming is slow, the guitar is subtle, and despite its short length, it leaves a monumental impact and is definitely an album highlight. What follows this is “grind”, which goes back to the Led Zeppelin kind of sound, returning to lyrics that feature large amounts of sex talk, though this song is the most explicit so far. To that end, it accomplishes it the best. Not pulling any punches is the best thing about kvrv, and with lyrics here about being shoved into the mud and being grinded on, this is the kind of music you put on in the background while doing the exact thing being described.

ᛏᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᛁᛋ ᚪ ᛗᚪᛋᛋᛁvᛖ ᛏᚩᚾᚪᛚ ᛋᚻᛁᚠᛏ ᚹᚻᛖᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚾᛖᛉᛏ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ, “ᛗᚣ ᚷᚩᛏᚻ ᚾvᚱᛋᛖ” (ᚷᚱᛖᚪᛏ ᛏᛁᛏᛚᛖ) ᛋᛏᚪᚱᛏᛋ. ᚪᛚᛚ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛋᚩᚾᚷᛋ ᛋᚩ ᚠᚪᚱ ᚻᚪvᛖ ᚻᚪᛞ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛋᛚᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᚳᚱᛖᛖᛈᚣ ᚢᚾᛞᛖᚱᛏᚩᚾᛖ, ᛒᚢᛏ ᛁᛏ’ᛋ ᚾᚩᛏ ᛋᛚᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛚᛖᚪᛋᛏ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ. ᛏᚻᛖ vᚩᚳᚪᛚᛋ ᚻᚪvᛖ ᚳᚻᚪᚾᚷᛖᛞ ᛏᚩ ᚪᚾ ᛖᚳᚻᚩᛖᚣ, ᛋᚩᚠᛏ ᛒᚱᛖᚪᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ. ᛏᚻᛖ ᛞᚱᚢᛗᛗᛁᚾᚷ ᛁᛋ ᛋᛚᚩᚹ, ᛏᚻᛖ ᚷᚢᛁᛏᚪᚱ ᛁᛋ ᛋᚢᛒᛏᛚᛖ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᛞᛖᛋᛈᛁᛏᛖ ᛁᛏᛋ ᛋᚻᚩᚱᛏ ᛚᛖᚾᚷᛏᚻ, ᛁᛏ ᛚᛖᚪvᛖᛋ ᚪ ᛗᚩᚾᚢᛗᛖᚾᛏᚪᛚ ᛁᛗᛈᚪᚳᛏ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛁᛋ ᛞᛖᚠᛁᚾᛁᛏᛖᛚᚣ ᚪᚾ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᚻᛁᚷᚻᛚᛁᚷᚻᛏ. ᚹᚻᚪᛏ ᚠᚩᛚᛚᚩᚹᛋ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛁᛋ “ᚷᚱᛁᚾᛞ”, ᚹᚻᛁᚳᚻ ᚷᚩᛖᛋ ᛒᚪᚳk ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛚᛖᛞ zᛖᛈᛈᛖᛚᛁᚾ kᛁᚾᛞ ᚩᚠ ᛋᚩᚢᚾᛞ, ᚱᛖᛏᚢᚱᚾᛁᚾᚷ ᛏᚩ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚠᛖᚪᛏᚢᚱᛖ ᛚᚪᚱᚷᛖ ᚪᛗᚩᚢᚾᛏᛋ ᚩᚠ ᛋᛖᛉ ᛏᚪᛚk, ᛏᚻᚩᚢᚷᚻ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛗᚩᛋᛏ ᛖᛉᛈᛚᛁᚳᛁᛏ ᛋᚩ ᚠᚪᚱ. ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛖᚾᛞ, ᛁᛏ ᚪᚳᚳᚩᛗᛈᛚᛁᛋᚻᛖᛋ ᛁᛏ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᛖᛋᛏ. ᚾᚩᛏ ᛈᚢᛚᛚᛁᚾᚷ ᚪᚾᚣ ᛈᚢᚾᚳᚻᛖᛋ ᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᛖᛋᛏ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ kvᚱv, ᚪᚾᛞ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᛋᚻᚩvᛖᛞ ᛁᚾᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛗᚢᛞ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᚷᚱᛁᚾᛞᛖᛞ ᚩᚾ, ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ kᛁᚾᛞ ᚩᚠ ᛗᚢᛋᛁᚳ ᚣᚩᚢ ᛈᚢᛏ ᚩᚾ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᚪᚳkᚷᚱᚩᚢᚾᛞ ᚹᚻᛁᛚᛖ ᛞᚩᛁᚾᚷ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛖᛉᚪᚳᛏ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ ᛒᛖᛁᚾᚷ ᛞᛖᛋᚳᚱᛁᛒᛖᛞ.

The album closes with a song that comes out of left field, and I mean that in the best way. After sexy goth glam, “skvllface” is a sweet, slow ballad about Vikings who pillage and love each other, a completely different aesthetic from anything else here. kvrv proves that if you’ve ever had the idea they’ve run out of new tricks, you are sadly mistaken. There are even brand new vocals on here—deep, spoken word, a duet with the feminine ones from the rest of the album that take them to another level. Like the end of the night at the goth club referenced earlier, this dark, romantic ballad is the perfect closer to this album.

ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᚳᛚᚩᛋᛖᛋ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᚪ ᛋᚩᚾᚷ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚳᚩᛗᛖᛋ ᚩᚢᛏ ᚩᚠ ᛚᛖᚠᛏ ᚠᛁᛖᛚᛞ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᛁ ᛗᛖᚪᚾ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛁᚾ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᛖᛋᛏ ᚹᚪᚣ. ᚪᚠᛏᛖᚱ ᛋᛖᛉᚣ ᚷᚩᛏᚻ ᚷᛚᚪᛗ, “ᛋkvᛚᛚᚠᚪᚳᛖ” ᛁᛋ ᚪ ᛋᚹᛖᛖᛏ, ᛋᛚᚩᚹ ᛒᚪᛚᛚᚪᛞ ᚪᛒᚩᚢᛏ vᛁkᛁᚾᚷᛋ ᚹᚻᚩ ᛈᛁᛚᛚᚪᚷᛖ ᚪᚾᛞ ᛚᚩvᛖ ᛖᚪᚳᚻ ᚩᛏᚻᛖᚱ, ᚪ ᚳᚩᛗᛈᛚᛖᛏᛖᛚᚣ ᛞᛁᚠᚠᛖᚱᛖᚾᛏ ᚪᛖᛋᛏᚻᛖᛏᛁᚳ ᚠᚱᚩᛗ ᚪᚾᚣᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ ᛖᛚᛋᛖ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ. kvᚱv ᛈᚱᚩvᛖᛋ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛁᚠ ᚣᚩᚢ’vᛖ ᛖvᛖᚱ ᚻᚪᛞ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛁᛞᛖᚪ ᛏᚻᛖᚣ’vᛖ ᚱᚢᚾ ᚩᚢᛏ ᚩᚠ ᚾᛖᚹ ᛏᚱᛁᚳkᛋ, ᚣᚩᚢ ᚪᚱᛖ ᛋᚪᛞᛚᚣ ᛗᛁᛋᛏᚪkᛖᚾ. ᛏᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚪᚱᛖ ᛖvᛖᚾ ᛒᚱᚪᚾᛞ ᚾᛖᚹ vᚩᚳᚪᛚᛋ ᚩᚾ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ—ᛞᛖᛖᛈ, ᛋᛈᚩkᛖᚾ ᚹᚩᚱᛞ, ᚪ ᛞᚢᛖᛏ ᚹᛁᛏᚻ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚠᛖᛗᛁᚾᛁᚾᛖ ᚩᚾᛖᛋ ᚠᚱᚩᛗ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚱᛖᛋᛏ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᛏᚪkᛖ ᛏᚻᛖᛗ ᛏᚩ ᚪᚾᚩᛏᚻᛖᚱ ᛚᛖvᛖᛚ. ᛚᛁkᛖ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛖᚾᛞ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚾᛁᚷᚻᛏ ᚪᛏ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚷᚩᛏᚻ ᚳᛚᚢᛒ ᚱᛖᚠᛖᚱᛖᚾᚳᛖᛞ ᛖᚪᚱᛚᛁᛖᚱ, ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛞᚪᚱk, ᚱᚩᛗᚪᚾᛏᛁᚳ ᛒᚪᛚᛚᚪᛞ ᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛖ ᛈᛖᚱᚠᛖᚳᛏ ᚳᛚᚩᛋᛖᚱ ᛏᚩ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ.

THE BOTTOM LINE

ᛏᚻᛖ ᛒᚩᛏᛏᚩᛗ ᛚᛁᚾᛖ

While not the usual thing I review, this album hits multiple sweet spots of things I adore: classic rock, glam metal, goth, gender fuckery, hot lyrics, and sexy riffs. Even if you’re a tried-and-true metalhead that rarely ventures outside your comfort zone, there are things in here for you. There are black metal nods, hair metal inspirations, and goth metal influences all throughout this thing. But I do really love it for what it truly is: some good ass rock n roll."

ᚹᚻᛁᛚᛖ ᚾᚩᛏ ᛏᚻᛖ ᚢᛋᚢᚪᛚ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ ᛁ ᚱᛖvᛁᛖᚹ, ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᚪᛚᛒᚢᛗ ᚻᛁᛏᛋ ᛗᚢᛚᛏᛁᛈᛚᛖ ᛋᚹᛖᛖᛏ ᛋᛈᚩᛏᛋ ᚩᚠ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷᛋ ᛁ ᚪᛞᚩᚱᛖ: ᚳᛚᚪᛋᛋᛁᚳ ᚱᚩᚳk, ᚷᛚᚪᛗ ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚ, ᚷᚩᛏᚻ, ᚷᛖᚾᛞᛖᚱ ᚠᚢᚳkᛖᚱᚣ, ᚻᚩᛏ ᛚᚣᚱᛁᚳᛋ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᛋᛖᛉᚣ ᚱᛁᚠᚠᛋ. ᛖvᛖᚾ ᛁᚠ ᚣᚩᚢ’ᚱᛖ ᚪ ᛏᚱᛁᛖᛞ-ᚪᚾᛞ-ᛏᚱᚢᛖ ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚᚻᛖᚪᛞ ᛏᚻᚪᛏ ᚱᚪᚱᛖᛚᚣ vᛖᚾᛏᚢᚱᛖᛋ ᚩᚢᛏᛋᛁᛞᛖ ᚣᚩᚢᚱ ᚳᚩᛗᚠᚩᚱᛏ zᚩᚾᛖ, ᛏᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚪᚱᛖ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷᛋ ᛁᚾ ᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚠᚩᚱ ᚣᚩᚢ. ᛏᚻᛖᚱᛖ ᚪᚱᛖ ᛒᛚᚪᚳk ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚ ᚾᚩᛞᛋ, ᚻᚪᛁᚱ ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚ ᛁᚾᛋᛈᛁᚱᚪᛏᛁᚩᚾᛋ, ᚪᚾᛞ ᚷᚩᛏᚻ ᛗᛖᛏᚪᛚ ᛁᚾᚠᛚᚢᛖᚾᚳᛖᛋ ᚪᛚᛚ ᛏᚻᚱᚩᚢᚷᚻᚩᚢᛏ ᛏᚻᛁᛋ ᛏᚻᛁᚾᚷ. ᛒᚢᛏ ᛁ ᛞᚩ ᚱᛖᚪᛚᛚᚣ ᛚᚩvᛖ ᛁᛏ ᚠᚩᚱ ᚹᚻᚪᛏ ᛁᛏ ᛏᚱᚢᛚᚣ ᛁᛋ: ᛋᚩᛗᛖ ᚷᚩᚩᛞ ᚪᛋᛋ ᚱᚩᚳk ᚾ ᚱᚩᛚᛚ."

"The darkest album I've heard" Soph, host of PurplMac MusicSession @MacaronPurpl

"Disturbing cabaret, like I would expect to find in the Upside Down! Slack n dirty, being jumped on in a side street by Bolan & Bowie on a dark night. Pumping #electro #gothic

Out Oct 31st (obviously)"

Dave Barnard
#Short_Tokes @inhaletheheavy