The Morning After: Kvelertak

WHO: Kvelertak

WHERE: The Borderline, London

HOW’S THE HEAD/NECK/VOICE: Sore/suffering/still functioning… a perk of all of the lyrics being sung in Norwegian.

THE VIBE

Tonight is Kvelertak’s second sold-out show at the Borderline, with the Norwegians having played the night before, a fact that’s almost unfathomable given the amount of energy they exude to the stuffed and sweaty venue. Tonight is an intimate setting with plenty of audience interaction; members of the crowd bound onstage before plummeting back into the frenzied pit. The atmosphere tonight is exploding with energy, devoid of pretention and drenched in sweat. It’s so bloody hot in the Borderline that for the second half of the set, frontman Erlend Hjelvik strips down to his bright red boxer shorts.

THE RIFFS

Kvelertak may only have one album under their belts, their 2010 self-titled, but tonight they also pull out a couple of new tracks, that Kvelertak fans will be glad to know are bursting with the same furious hardcore punk and catchy rock ‘n’ roll riffs that made their debut so original, and such a success. These tasters go down well, but seriously, guys, give us this second album, already! With all axe-slingers bounding across the stage, leaning over the audience and grinning the whole way through, the sounds are showcased with all the exuberance that their roaring riffs demand.

THE HANGOVER

Despite the compact size of the venue, getting to the bar was as challenging as wading through the mud at this year’s Download festival, with a sea of crowd-surfing punters to get past. But Kvelertak make music to drink beer and party hard to, and believe us, we bloody well did.