So, yeah. This sounds an awful lot like SLAYER at first. Might I ask is that such a bad thing after all? After the opening tracks “The Cake’ and “Lost in the Mudd” Kayser throw a curve ball with “Evolution” which sounds nothing like our slaytanic icons. From this point on they seem to be carving out their own identity. The mellow jazzy run in “Not Dead…Yet” is quite the nifty little distraction. “Absense” displays a gothic bent that ends with some beautiful Fender Rhodes keyboard work. As this album progresses, I can’t help but think that the vocalist sounds like the guy from NICKLEBACK. I think that my hatred for that band is much more rooted in their songwriting skills (or lack thereof) than the dude’s voice. “Frame the World…” is a pretty wicked piece of work. The SLAYER comparisons are valid and will pop up more in the future without a doubt. However, Kayser show they have more to offer than that alone. They have subtleties that quite a few of their heavy brethren have not tapped into. Diversity and dynamics that make this group a keeper.€

- Herring

Former SPIRITUAL BEGGARS vocalist Spice is back, and he's gotta be pissed about losing his main gig to GRAND MAGUS' J.B. because KAYSER is here and spitting fire! "Frame the World... Hang it on the Wall" is, for the most part, a fun romp through old-school thrash territory.

If you think, given the man's pedigree, this might be another 70's rock revival; you've got another think coming. It doesn't take long before the band obliterates any preconceived notions the listener might have with the opening cut "The Cake," a fast and furious blast that sounds eerily like New England thrash legends WARGASM. Not what you expected? That's ok. It all makes sense in a way, because the same reverence that the BEGGARS pay to DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW is the same that KAYSER pays to early-to-mid METALLICA and MEGADETH.

Joining Spice are fellow Swedes Ewil Sandin on bass, guitarists Jocke Pettersson and Mattias (THE DEFACED) Svensson, and MUSHROOM RIVER BAND drummer Bob Ruben. Everyone in KAYSER clearly carries their weight. The tight interplay between guitar and drums shines in tracks such as "Cheap Glue" and "Turn to Grey." The sweet frilly-dilly IRON MAIDEN guitar harmonies and the amped up ending make "A Note From Your Wicked Son" a stand-out. The influence of former bands comes creeping in on the vaguely doomy "Absence." Unfortunately, this tune gets kinda Nu-ish sounding around the four minute mark. Vocal delivery on this track, as well as "Not Dead...Yet", and "Everlasting," hit a little too close to NICKLEBACK's Chad Kroeger for comfort at times. Hopefully, this comparison won't turn too many folks off, because as long as KAYSER keep things fast n' loose, there's some fine listening ahead.

- Broadbent

OFFICIAL SITE: www.kayser1.com

RELATED ITEMS: KAYSER - "Kaiserhof" 2005, KAYSER Interview, 2005