Review: Kazea ‘I. Ancestral’

Somewhat like the phoenix rising from the ashes, back in 2023 Jonas Mattsson and Rasmus Lindbolm spewed forth from the corpse of the band Orochen and formed Kazea with Hellsongs Daniel Olsson. It was a majestic unison, and now, in early 2025 the band are releasing their debut opus I, Ancestral upon a world that is much in need of a welcome distraction.

In the two years between inception and now, the trio have been busy honing their sound, writing, and then recording an album that comprises elements of post-rock, neo-folk, a smidge of sludge and the final dynamic has to be heard to fully be understood.

It is amazing to think that in this day in age, bands can still do something that isn’t specifically comparable to anyone else, but somehow Kazea have pulled it off. It is nye on impossible to gravitate towards any one band as akin to Kazea, I had read about comparisons to This Will Destroy You, and I guess perhaps it does, a little, but it also doesn’t overly. I saw somewhere about other such nods, one even saying Marilyn Manson, and yet, for me, it reminds me at times of modern-day Guns N’ Roses, and also there’s a Warrior Soul feel.

Now, by the Guns N’ Roses namedrop, what I mean is that there are tracks on this album such as Trenches and Wailing Blood that have me looking at a more low-key Axl Rose twenty-first-century style vocal. Not as screechy or nasal as he used to be, more moody and calmer. That isn’t a bad thing by any means, and on this album, it fits the musical landscape perfectly. It is also true of the sonic experience, but believe me, this isn’t a knock, I really enjoy this sound, and any comparison is merely in vibe, not experience, as I know that in the modern world band’s such as GN’R are a cliché nightmare.

The thing is, its really hard to pinpoint just what it is with Kazea that you are drawn to. It’s not in any way unlistenable; the vocal is gritty and the drums are always punchy and full on. The bass work is the undercurrent that drives the band, and the guitars have a true rock swagger to them. At times chuggy, at times gritty, but always vibrant.

Over the course of the eight tracks, it is really easy to fall in love with the band, they keep a straight path, are focused on their mission and don’t ever seem to deviate from what they are aiming to give to the world. It isn’t overly an album of excessive highs and lows, and as debuts go, this will leave you with a one hundred percent understanding of just exactly who Kazea really are.

Taking a closer look at the album itself, I know I have already mentioned Trenches and Wailing Blood, but that doesn’t mean that by comparison the rest of the album doesn’t offer up anything else, far from it actually.

understated and thoroughly compelling without sacrificing quality for instant notoriety…

You can hear the heritage of the band members; the musicianship is really ingrained, and even though it is a debut, it feels much more like a band that could be on their fifth or sixth outing. It’s an understated album, but then not every recording needs to be a pompous, overstated circus of ideas, sometimes keeping it simpler and restrained can make for a deeper connection.

Tracks such as album opener With A Knife and track two, Pale City Skin provide our first glimpse at Kazea, and it sets the stage for the rest of the album. As With A Knife develops, so too do the concepts of the band. A muted ambient background provides the perfect accompaniment to a moody monologue to set the scene. Each element reveals itself, and by its climax, there is little doubt left as to the band’s intentions.

Pale City Skin unleashes a heavier burst before showing that this is so much more than a single layer of sound, as it drops back to compact the suspense. This is how things play out, the ebb and flow masterfully driven by the band.

Whispering Hand gives us a taste of Kazea at their most menacing, and throughout its near four minute runtime, you get a real feel for the bands love of hard throbbing outpourings. Its considered and feels mature, and while it may miss a teenage market, for those of us with greying hair, and a little world weary, this is the perfect soundtrack for our lifestyles.

As the album progresses, and we hit the penultimate track, The North Passage but the band aren’t done yet. Theres a darkness here which will reinvigorate any lag in enthusiasm. Complete with a Derrick Green styled monstrous vocal, it’s the awakening that’s needed to shake things up.

By the time Seamlessly Woven brings us home, it feels like it’s a fitting climax. Again, there are elements here that aren’t found elsewhere on the album, and it closes things off sublimely, trailing off and laying to rest without stumbling at the final hurdle.

It’s a great debut, understated and thoroughly compelling without sacrificing quality for instant notoriety.

Label: Suicide Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Lee Beamish