KAZEA – I. Ancestral
Release Date: 21st March 2025
Label: Suicide Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Dark, Noise-Rock, Neofolk, Sludge, Post-it Note.
FFO: Neurosis, Swans, Årabrot, Grinderman.
Review By: John Newlands
Kazea are a 3-piece hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was spawned in the summer of 2023 when former Orochen members (Jonas Mattsson – vocals/guitar and Rasmus Lindblom – bass) met drummer from Hellsongs, Daniel Olsson. Their debut album I. Ancestral is recorded and mixed by Ulf Blomberg (HoboRec) and mastered by Magnus Lindberg (Cult Of Luna).
The lead singles are Trenches, Whispering Hand and Wailing Blood, and with good reason, they stand out within the 38 min run-time and all offer melodical hooks (guitar, vocal and lyrical) that pulls the listener in and gives you a lovely wee earworm for the next few days!
It is hard to pin down a genre for Kazea, and that’s fine because genre labels are kinda bullshit! If I was to entertain the idea, then here it’s even more difficult as there is so much influence and nuances that nods in the direction of newer and older artists such as Swans, Cult of Luna, Death In June, Neurosis & Grinderman. At points, I could even hear something in the direction of Marilyn Manson, specifically Coma White from 1998s Mechanical Animals, which in my opinion may be Manson’s best song. So this is a compliment, not a slight!
For me, the vocal delivery and the song composition very much reminded me of Norwegian noise rock champions Årabrot (ref: Kinks Of The Heart from 2021’s Norwegian Gothic) and vocally akin to punk and fused folk-rock duo Two Gallants. The latter of the two being a firm favourite of mine back in 2004, but had become forgotten under the avalanche of awesome music in the last 21 years. Revisiting their catalogue has been fantastic – thanks Kazea!
All that aside, from the moment I first heard the single Wailing Blood, I instantly knew I had found something I would really enjoy. I really dig the heavy, dark, folk tinged, noise-rock swagger these guys have conjured. Along with the stellar recording mixing and mastering, I. Ancestral is definitely a very enjoyable listen and a thoroughly impressive debut that I’m sure I’ll come back to throughout 2025.
(4 / 5)
