For some reason “Rat Lord” is a fairly popular name for Metal bands. So much so that one particular band has had to supplement their name with “the true.” The true RAT LORD is an extreme metal trio from Bergen, Norway. Call ‘em grindcore, punk, power-violence—I don’t think they really care. On August 30 they released their second studio album, “Blazed In The Northern Sky” via Loyal Blood Records and promoted by Viral Propaganda PR. For all its brevity and wit, it’s a scorcher. If you have 16 minutes to spare, you could a lot worse than spending it listening to this album.

Marketing geniuses that they are, RAT LORD adorns all their album covers with a kitten. It is essentially their Eddie, but instead of scary it’s terminally cute. Which is a hilarious juxtaposition to the band’s actual music . . . though it does capture their underlying sense of humor. I’d like to believe it is the same kitten on every cover, but I can’t tell. Either way, it works. Can’t wait to see a video featuring kittens slicing through a mosh pit.

“Blazed In The Northern Sky” comprises 11 tracks. Several don’t even reach the one-minute mark before they flare out; only one breaks the three-minute mark. I have read reviews of this album that took me longer to read than it took to listen to the album. The point is this a woefully short album and by that, I mean you just don’t want to end. I have to admit, I was drawn to the album by the kitten, I was then compelled by the hilarious song titles, but I stayed for the riffs.

I can’t tell if I appreciate this album more for its wit or for its music. I’m guessing it’s both. There are so many inside Metal jokes riddled throughout this album, it’s like an Easter egg hunt staged for blind kids. I mean, they just lay them out there. My favorite tracks include “No Dogs, No Masters”; “Blazed in the Northern Sky”; “Now Diabetical”; and “Party Like Its 1439.”

RAT LORD’s “Blazed In The Northern Sky” is one part fun, one part ripper, summing up to a total blast. Northern European bands are often dead serious about their craft. It’s great to bump into a band that can execute exceptionally well but also not take themselves or the entire Extreme Metal scene too seriously.