UMUR
"Kristiansen and Kvarforth Swim in the Sea of Equilibrium While Waitin" is an EP release by Norwegian/Swedish doom metal act Skitliv. The EP is a self-financed affair, released in December 2007. "Kristiansen and Kvarforth Swim in the Sea of Equilibrium While Waitin" is limited to 393 hand-numbered CD-r copies, which were sold on the 2007 tour with Shining and Hellsaw and through Myspace.
Skitliv was formed in 2005 by lead vocalist/guitarist Maniac (real name: Sven-Erik Kristiansen) after he left Norwegian black metal act Mayhem. He was later joined by Shining frontman Niklas Kvarforth, who plays guitars and performs backing vocals on this release.
The music on the 3 track, 18:08 minutes long EP, is blackened doom metal. "Who Will Deliver Us From Gold & Planets?" is an intro track, but "Slow Pain Coming" and "A Valley Below" are both "regular" tracks. "Slow Pain Coming" features a main riff that is very reminiscent of early Black Sabbath, while "A Valley Below" is more repetitive, sludgy and blackened in style.
The whole release reeks misantrophy and self-loathing, which isn´t a surprise, when you consider the parties involved in the making of the music. Neither Maniac nor Kvarforth are exactly known for their positive worldviews. The EP features a filthy and raw sound production, which suits the music well and all in all "Kristiansen and Kvarforth Swim in the Sea of Equilibrium While Waitin" is a decent introduction to the world of Skitliv. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.