(photo credit: Astrid Gjersøe Skåtterød)
Andy Synn, beloved NCS writer and intrepid foreign correspondent, is currently attending the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway (damn his eyes). Late yesterday afternoon your humble editor received a message from Andy with a couple of scoops about one of our favorite bands, Keep of Kalessin.
First, Andy reported that KoK had debuted a new song and video — “Introspection” — at Inferno. This explains the meaning of the cryptic countdown that has been going on for the last week at KoK’s Facebook page (more about that in a minute). Andy described it thusly: “Epic song. Epic video. Crushing drum sound. Awesome riffs and melodies.”
Second, Andy relayed that KoK’s vocalist Thebon has parted ways with the band and that the man pictured above — KoK’s guitarist, songwriter, and composer Arnt “Obsidian C” Gronbech — has stepped up to become the new vocalist and frontman.
This kind of on-the-ground reporting almost makes me forgive Andy for making me green with envy for attending Inferno. Almost. Also, as of this morning, all of us get to hear “Introspection” and see the new video.
Beginning on March 23, KoK began a countdown on their FB page, starting with the words “T-5” — and no further explanation. As of yesterday the words “T-1” appeared. Using the kind of superior deductive reasoning that have made others speak of me in awestruck whispers, I concluded, in light of Andy’s report, that the new video would premiere today. And so it has. Although at this writing there has been no official announcement about the video, I found it.
Andy’s description of it is accurate. Watch and listen below.
UPDATE (Mar. 30): Obsidian and KoK have today posted a lengthy explanation of why the band moved forward with “Introspection”, and the new album that will include the song, without Thebon:
10 Responses to “KEEP OF KALESSIN SCOOPS: NEW VIDEO (“INTROSPECTION”), NEW VOCALIST”
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That was pretty gripping. Obsidian is a surprisingly visceral fit vocal wise.
Surprising, I wonder what the reason for Thebon’s departure exactly is. Especially since Thebon and Gronbech made such an excellent album together last year (Anomalia by Khonsu). I really do hope that Khonsu wasn’t a one-time thing, regardless of what goes on in KoK!
He said it was something along the lines of Thebon not being as fully committed and driven anymore (though he didn’t necessarily imply any fault, let me stress) which leads to to believe that Khonsu (and Hellish Outcast) might still be a viable prospect (as Khonsu was S. Gronbech’s thing really).
Not sure if this is real or tongue-in-cheek, but this was part of the official statement from KoK’s label:
“‘We haven’t heard from him in 5 months. He went to South Africa with his girlfriend and we received no life sign or answers to our messages.’ comments guitarist and now also front man Obsidian C.”
http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3e43508ac796303376fe92ded&id=f8c3996bb3&e
Today (3/30), Obsidian and KoK posted a lengthy explanation of why the band decided to move forward with the new album without Thebon:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/keep-of-kalessin/comments-about-thebon-saying-keep-of-kalessin-are-backstabbers/10151367715097960
I’m a huge fan of Thebon and was kind of crushed by the headline, but this is surprisingly okay with me. I agree with MadIsraeli that Obsidian acquits himself remarkably well.
I’ll buy it. It doesn’t give me the same THIS IS SPARTA! rush as “Crown of the Kings” or “Against the Gods”, but it’s still plenty badass in its own right.
Also wanted to say that I laughed aloud at that last paragraph. That’s some damn fine comedy writing.
🙂
Here is a posting by Thebon:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thebon/110661682329751?fref=ts
Uh oh! Band breakup drama! Thanks for this fireangel. I’m going to quote Thebon’s statement here:
“I´m not missing in the jungle, I went to study and relax for three months and did not hear anything from the band in that time. I got a message about a band meeting a week ago,but did´t reply because I was preoccupied with other projects, and I was deciding if I wanted to continue with KOK.
“Today I read in a press release that they have recorded new music, and even made a video,and fired me in public at the Inferno Festival. Clearly this proves that they have made their decision about me quite some time ago. This kind of loyalty and friendship is exactly one of the reasons I have been considering leaving the band for quite some time now. I wish them all the best”