Steeped in the tradition of the early spirit of Black Metal, Norway's KOLDBRANN finally return to the scene and try to stake their claim as a top tier Black Metal band. Released through France's Season Of Mist, "Vertigo" is their first release in over seven years. A lot has changed in the Black Metal scene since 2006. Most bands can have a whole career span over seven years so the anticipation is high to see if KOLDBRANN can deliver.

Following the path of later day DARKTHRONE and "Volcano" era SATYRICON there is a rampant Punk influence scattered throughout "Vertigo." These influences are clearly heard in "Goat Lodge" and "Stolichnaya Smert".If you are looking for Symphonic Black Metal and an over bloated production this is not the record for you. The song writing is punchy and tight and they remain true to the cold raw sound of early Black Metal.

Vocally, founding member Mannevond is not as aggressive as he has been on past releases. His rasp is still aggressive and powerful but he now seems to have embodied the soul of DARKTHRONE's "Nocturno Cult" and SATYRICON's "Satyr". There is a bit of the iconic Tom G. Warrior of CELTIC FROST in some of his vocal phrasings, which authenticates his performance.

The riffs are epic and dominate the record. From the beautiful melodic riffs of "I Eklipsnes Skimmer" and the larger than life "Inertia Corridors" the listener is lost in the beauty and coldness of the guitar playing. The later song in particular is a true highlight on the record. Halfway through, the band jump into an amazing picked arpeggiated riff and bass player S.G.J. plays stunning melodic lines underneath. It is a truly majestic moment. Drummer Folkedal does utilize some blast beats on the record but they are few and far between. Most of the time he plays with a straightforward feel and his beats fit the song perfectly.

There are three short instrumentals "Hjertets Holodomor", "Terminal Transnistrii" and "Sans Soleil" that hurt the flow of the record and seem pointless. All three of them are more ambiance and noise and not even actual music. It goes against everything that KOLDBRANN are trying to convey in their song writing. The release would have been better served as eight tight songs without the annoying breaks.

"Vertigo" is an excellent Black Metal release and should elevate KOLDBRANN into the upper echelon of the Black Metal elite. When you have epic melodic riffs, punch in your face Punk inspired blasting and some of the best Black Metal vocals of Mannevond's career; you are dealing with one of the best black metal releases of 2013. If they want to continue to build on the success of "Vertigo" it is imperative that they do not wait another seven years before they release a follow up.