Baest goes wild!
For the release of their fourth album, Colossal, Svend Karlsson (guitar, Kampvogn, Temple of Scorn), Simon Olsen (vocals), Lasse Revsbech (guitar), Sebastian Abildsten (drums) and Mattias “Muddi” Melchiorsen (bass) remain loyal to their long-standing label, Century Media.
The album gets off to a Rock’n’Roll start with Stormbringer, the first track on the album, which quickly regains its Death Metal feel, while retaining the groovy touch that the vocal parts naturally add. The piercing leads continue to inhabit the catchy riffs, calming the atmosphere for a moment before letting loose again until Colossus, a massive composition already familiar and which makes us want to shake our skulls in no time. The sound is at first much slower, much heavier, but also rather mysterious thanks to the harmonics, but it eventually accelerates and crushes us in due form before handing over to In Loathe And Love, which offers effective riffs punctuated by fairly regular accelerations. There are a few Thrash influences on this track, which is followed by King Of The Sun, where the band welcomes Jesper Binzer (D-A-D), creating a lighter moment with his brutal but accessible rhythm, which the guest makes intense. Although a little different from the others, the track fits perfectly into the discography before giving way to Imp Of The Perverse, which returns to the jerky, imposing approach, particularly on that double-kick roll. The track is long, and allows the musicians to take their ease, regularly molesting us while letting the rhythmic evolve freely before joining forces with their compatriots ORM to create Misfortunate Son, a rather disquieting and mysterious composition with piercing heavy metal accents coupled with furious vocal parts. The raw energy returns on Mouth Of The River, with its virulent Old School roots, despite its overall moderate pace, but which nonetheless reserves its share of explosive surprises, featuring the bass to our great delight. Light The Beacons follows with an intoxicating introduction, but this instrumental composition doesn’t skimp on harmonics that fly freely and captivate our minds, but the vocals will return to reinforce Depraved World, the final track, allowing the band to remain very solid on certain passages, but also to offer us melodies worked at the right moment before finally slowing down one last time, and pushing out a final howl.
Baest‘s releases have always been extremely qualitative, and Colossal is a worthy successor to a band in full evolution! Always tinged with that touch of catchy groove, the musicians’ sound takes more than Death Metal to forge its riffs!
95/100
A few questions to Baest’s guitarist Svend Karlsson about the release of the band’s new album, Colossal.
Hello and first of all, thank you very much for your time! How would you introduce the band Baest without using the words “Death Metal”?
Svend Karlsson (guitare): Baest is a band of brothers, a live powerhouse, plug and play Metal band. We love the live experience, and our influences range from Rush and Dio, to Bloodbath and Opeth.
The band is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, but was briefly named Bæst at the beginning. What does the name Baest mean for you and how do you link it to the music you play?
Svend: Baest means ‘beast’ in Danish, and we seek to deliver a show that lives up to the name. The variety of beasts are big, and such is the sounds of Baest, too.
Next month, Baest will release its fourth album, called Colossal. How do you feel about it? Do you already have any feedback?
Svend: The album is gonna be called Colossal and we feel the change in sound and range is colossal. The feedback has been very good, even though the change in style is big in some tracks. The live response has been overwhelming, and the audience seem to get the new material – and they seem to rock out.
How would you sum Colossal’s identity up in only three words?
Svend: Melody, Heavy, Metal.
Colossal’s is the fourth album you made with the same lineup, how did the creation process happen in the Baest team? Were there any differences compared to the previous releases?
Svend: Colossal required a different approach, with songs being tried out live before being tracked. The studio sessions with Tue Madsen were some time apart, which can be heard in the different sounds between the songs. Baest have been the same band since the inception, and Colossal captures the essence of everything we’ve done and learned throughout the years.
The band’s sound is purely made of Death Metal, but how do you create your own touch? Who would you quote as the band’s main influences? I also find more Rock’n’Roll/Heavy Metal sonorities on a few songs, like Stormbringer, King Of The Sun or Misfortunate Son, did your influences evolve with time?
Svend: Our own touch is coming out more and more, with our “original” influences making its way into Death Metal. Influences like Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Rush, Lamb of God and Opeth taking up more space than the Death Metal classics. This album was created in the rehearsal space, and the more daring Rock influences were beginning to show more and more. So, our courage and identity has certainly evolved with time.
Do you have a favorite song on Colossus? Or maybe the hardest one to achieve for the album.
Svend: Depraved World with Light The Beacons as the intro was certainly hard to fit into a Death Metal album, but we feel we got it right. Maiden melodies and blastbeats are meant to be! Stormbringer also holds a dear place in the band, being the last track to be finished for the album. And … there’s an AC/DC inspired intro – instant favourite.
Where do you find your inspiration to create music?
Svend: Baest gets inspired on the road a lot, listening to tons of music, having fun and bantering throughout the world. Ideas grow and riffs develop. We fine tune those ideas in the rehearsal space.
Do you think you improved yourself as a musician/songwriter with this new record?
Svend: We think we’ve definitely grown as songwriters, but the chops are from 10 years of riffing away and staying true to the group and our own ideas.
I attended a Baest show in Paris, back in 2024 when you opened for Krisiun. Do you have some special memories from this concert? Or for the whole tour? Do you enjoy playing in France?
Svend: The show just beside the Moulin Rouge! France is always awesome, and this show we had to load out through a very crowded bar, bringing the party vibe all the way to the bus trailer! Krisiun played ZZ Top songs at their soundchecks, and these three brothers really pushed the urge to put more rock into Baest’s sound. Krisiun are legends.
The band played many times in Europe, but also recently in the US. Do you see any difference between the two continents? How do you get prepared for a concert, and do you have some kind of pre-show routine?
Svend: Metal fans are Metal fans throughout the world. We supported Arch Enemy in the US, bringing us in front of some of the biggest international audiences of our career. It was amazing, and our coming European tours will also be full of Metal fans, luckily! We always meet up before showtime, time for banter, cussing and some vibing. 5 best friends, it’s always a good time!
I know Baest will have a busy summer, between the album release and the festival season, but do you have more plans for the future? How do you build the setlist for the festivals you will play?
Svend: We are planning the fall, the spring and next summer already, lining some cool tours and shows up. The setlist changes every show, we always end up wanting to play some different stuff, also to keep ourselves on our toes.
The guests you have on this album are Jesper Binzer of D-A-D and the band ORM, how did the collaboration happen? Are there any musicians or artists you would like to collaborate with? Whether it is for one song, or maybe more.
Svend: We asked Jesper if he was interested, and didn’t even expect a reply. But the man, the myth, the legend that is Jesper Binzer replied, and rocked our socks off. A man true to his roots, and a HOLY SHIT moment for everyone in the Baest camp! We’ve been fans of ORM since their early work in other bands, and they inspired us to even start Baest. It’s an honour to call them our friends, and to have them sing on Misfortunate Son.
I know that Denmark has been a very well known place for Death Metal for many years, how do you explain this “popularity”, and how is the scene evolving? Which are the bands you’d like to recommend us?
Svend: Denmark is really creating tons of awesome bands these years, all of which are doing great. You must listen to our friends in Neckbreakker, Orm, Hatesphere, Illdisposed, Guttural Disgorge and Terrorpy. Awesome bands, and there are many more!
What about the French Metal scene, are there any bands you know and like?
Svend: All of us are of course fans of Gojira, a band that also inspires us to go our own way. We also listen to Igorrr, those madmen !
If I ask you to create a poster with Baest as headliner and three other bands for the release of Colossal, which bands would you like to play with? Even unrealistic answers are accepted.
Svend: Baest, Decapitated, Krisiun and Opeth. A perfect night!
Last and funny question: which dish would you compare Baest’s music with?
Svend: A nice crystallised cheese, some aged port and then the biggest, tallest and chilliest pint known to man.
That was the last question for me, so thank you very much for your time and your music, last words are yours!
Svend: Rock out, get in the pit and honor the Metal legends and Metal family out there! Venlig Hilsen/Best regards.