Kvelertak is from Norway, and the sextet’s battering ram hard rock is tangentially related to black metal, but they have more in common with Andrew WK than Burzum. Whereas you might expect a Norwegian metal band to slaughter an animal on stage in some kind of occultic ceremony, Kvelertak’s Erlend Hjelvik starts concerts wearing a stuffed owl on his head for camp’s sake. (It’s a glorious sight.) At the point where you might expect a black metal song to dissolve into shapeless onslaught of blast beats, Kvelertak descends into a deep half-time Southern rock groove. (Call them Ljnjrd Skjnjrd?) When it’s time to party, they will party hard. But you don’t even have to witness one of Kvelertak’s Nordic rock ‘n’ roll ragers to know that. Just plunge headfirst into Meir’s raucous ruckus — a triumphant splay of multilayered melodic guitar carnage, searing belly howls, and devil horn hand gestures — and all will be revealed. –Chris [LISTEN]