When I first pressed play on Paleolithic War Crimes, I was blown away. It became a warm 60s/70s hug from the music I grew up with, with a twist of modern flavor. I instantly wanted to know more and dug into Saint Karloff, the musicians behind the music. At this point, I had already emailed the promoter back and expressed my interest. The more I heard, the more enthralled I became. Paleolithic War Crimes is an incredible journey, and the story behind the album is heartbreaking and beautiful.
Saint Karloff is a Norweigian psychadelic stoner rock band. It was originally created by three guys; Mads Melvold (vocals, guitar), Adam Suleiman (drums), and Ole Sletner (bass). Sletner sadly passed away and the two left behind were grief-stricken, yet felt Ole would want them to keep going, enter Paleolithic War Crimes. The album was lyrically written by Ole’s brother, Eivind Sletner, while Nico Munkvold jumped in on bass. It was released on June 2nd, 2023 through Majestic Mountain Records.
It starts with, “Psychedelic Man”, which has a total psychedelic feel to it. It is perfectly titled and has some fuzz greatness with a killer riff. I can’t help but close my eyes and groove along. “Among Stone Columns”, slows things down a bit and has some breathy guitar parts that seep into the emotions. It is a quick instrumental with a heavy impact. The transition to “Bone Cave Escape” about gives you whiplash but in the best way. The heavy switch has you back to head banging (or bobbing, depending on your age and neck strength). Just when you feel it is back in rhythm, “Nothing to Come” pops in with an acoustic strumming and haunting vocal pitch. There are some flutes that make an appearance in this one, and I love every damn part of it. This song is a masterpiece. The album ends with “Supralux Voyager”, which takes you on another journey. It is an ideal ending to a phenomenal album. The ups and downs throughout are perfectly timed and keeps you invested as you don’t know what to expect next.
Mads and Adam were both so kind to sit down with Metal Nation and discuss the creation, and the loss of their dear friend. (If you are viewing from your phone, scroll to the bottom of the page and click “View Desktop Version” to gain full access.)