Slik Helvetika - Krypt Kicker Review
by Matt Hensch
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Why hello there! My name is metal fan, and you are? Slik Helvetika? What a gracious name! Setting the schizophrenia aside, this American group formed from the ashes of several obscure names such as Destroyer reunites a few old-timers for what they love more than money: heavy f*cking metal. I must say, hearing Krypt Kicker for the first time was fresh air, mainly because these clever gentlemen utilize golden musician that screams of good, beefy metal; not burdensome, or remotely dramatic. With bands such as Quiet Riot having passed their prime, Slik Helvetika makes it their job to punish haters with classic heavy metal much in the vein of the founding father's wishes, and the group does wonders at doing so.
Perhaps that is what Slik Helvetika conquers: resurrecting the old-school traditional metal ambience without flaw. Krypt Kicker acts unusually adventurous beside countless choruses of captivating catchiness alongside high-pitched vocals that work wonderfully within Slik Helvetika's nifty approach, such as technical guitar work during solos, riffs brought in by dozens of dump trucks, plus raw production bringing out those sound-over-popularity philosophies. Also, these gentlemen refuse the art of repetition. Sure the stuff is addictive, yet not a single pattern will seem overtly dried or beat down; they juice something before grabbing a new sweetened fruit for our beverages. Cheers! Anyway, heavy metal (arguably with a touch of glam) soaked in production much like Venom's early days is quite a combination, I will tell you.
But Jesus Christ, it is heavier than twelve jackhammers with testicles! Not to mention the barrage of riffs trends into thrash throughout "Bastard," a little power metal vibe occupying "Crack The Sky," and sensational Venom-like speed during "You And Me." Although Slik Helvetika has a separate identity, what bad comes from different structures, especially those mutually entwined with classic heavy metal? None at all! Indeed, Krypt Kicker shows nothing less than masterful combinations connected by ultimate instrumentation and retrogressive ass-kicking. However, I must say the multiple interludes are useless, but Krypt Kicker excels wonderfully on a musical level, and that is all that matters.
I find this little EP very impressive for Slik Helvetika. Their musical blueprint has been forged on impressive levels, and even then, they still touch into several areas without seeming redundant or too worn for productivity. Of course, it would a grand lie to claim Krypt Kicker something as a perfect release, but who is perfect, really? Interestingly enough, Slik Helvetika could easily achieve mainstream success while keeping their traditional metal roots honest and fresh. A band that can appeal to both the modernized world and metal's underground? Now that is a rare breed. Try this out if the chance arises.
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Slik Helvetika - Krypt Kicker Rating:8.5
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