Kvelertak broke through with 2013's Meir, a barrel-chested blast of punk, heavy metal, and hard rock paired with the ragged howl of vocalist Erlend Hjelvik. On their new album, Nattesferd, Hjelvik gargles as much gravel as ever, but Kvelertak continues its evolution into a top-notch hard-pop band. The first single, "1985," mines the '70s, marrying bottom-heavy boogie-rock with early Van Halen vibes. "Ondskapens Galakse" contains some of the band's sharpest guitar lines to date. And the title track—with its unrelenting riff and melodic backing vocals—basically sounds like the Foo Fighters if Dave Grohl screamed the whole time. Hjelvik is a tremendous metal vocalist with incredible stage presence, but his style is not for most folks. You have to wonder what this band's ceiling would be if they brought melodic vocals to the forefront more often. BEN SALMON