Anyone who has had a passing interest in black metal in the last few years will be very aware of Wiegedood, the Belgian three piece has been one of the hottest properties in black metal through a trilogy of amazing albums and many incendiary live sets. The band formed in 2014 in Ghent, Flanders. The three piece made up of Levy Seynaeve on Guitar and Vocals, Gilles Demolder on Guitar and Wim Coppers on drums have released the aforementioned trilogy of albums; De Doden Habben Het Goed I, II, and III. I was released in 2015, II in 2017 and III in 2018.
The three albums all had a very similar sound and structure; atmospheric black metal with savage and aggressive blasting melded with soft and introverted sections, all structured into 4 long songs. The more aggressive parts always had a very focused feel, as if all the fast, savage elements had been brought to a point. It made sense for the De Doden Habben Het Goed albums to be similar in structure and sound as together they form a complete whole, and it also makes sense for the band to change things with their forth album, and change they have.
The album opens with FN SCAR 16 which is a very nasty beast. The song starts with a bloodcurdling scream from Levy Seynaeve, whose vocals are unbelievably nasty, extreme and in places downright inhuman. The song features very fast and furious black metal, that has a definite second wave feel to it, in places reminding me of early Ulver. The song also features a simple 5 note melody that is repeated throughout the song, in some way similar to black metal pioneers Von, the repetition is very effective as after a couple of listens that nasty little tune was imbedded in my consciousness like a burrowing brain parasite drilling it’s way into my frontal cortex.
The album opens with FN SCAR 16 which is a very nasty beast. The song starts with a bloodcurdling scream from Levy Seynaeve, whose vocals are unbelievably nasty, extreme and in places downright inhuman. The song features very fast and furious black metal, that has a definite second wave feel to it, in places reminding me of early Ulver. The song also features a simple 5 note melody that is repeated throughout the song, in some way similar to black metal pioneers Von, the repetition is very effective as after a couple of listens that nasty little tune was imbedded in my consciousness like a burrowing brain parasite drilling it’s way into my frontal cortex.
Next comes And In Old Salamano’s Room, The Dog Whimpered Softly which is very fast, blasting black metal. The track does have a slower, more minimal part (a rarity on this album), but is quickly battering your skull in again. The song feels relentless and also features vocal samples, some Harsh noise elements and vocals that are staggeringly nasty. Noblesse Oblige Richesse Oblige has more of a dissonant black metal feel, very fast tremolo picked riffs drip with jarring cacophony as the blasting drums batter you into submission. At the end of the track some of these tremolo picked riffs are layered together to form a feeling of insane swirling chaos.
Until It Is Not is fast and flowing with some mid-paced parts, to make up for this pleasantness the vocals are savage and unhinged. The track has a section which has a bit of a noise rock feel, before those horrific vocals return send you back to drowning in anxiety. Now Will Always Be has a brooding intro before a simple riff and blasting drums crash in. The song features throat singing (which works so well on Wiegedood's material, I’m surprised more bands aren’t using it) and has simple riffs added to achieve a layered sound that is hypnotic and swirls around your head. The song comes to an end with one of the tremolo picked riffs dominating, whilst the song calms down and drifts to an end. Wade is a short clean instrumental that is brooding and very effective.
Nuages is a savage beast. War metal fast blasting, with so much aggression, particularly in the vocals. The track has a slower part that manages to be just as angry and aggressive as the staggeringly fast parts, a section that is very Industrial/Harsh Noise and a nicely dissonant ending. Theft And Begging is all about dynamics. The song opens very fast, before going into a slow and measured part, the track then speeds up but has a brooding feel to it. After this the song is slow, but very driving and purposeful, it then builds itself back for a very extreme end.
The album comes to a close with the track Carousel (no, it’s not a song from the musical). The track is fast and simple, this is another track that features a simple little tune that is repeated until it is burrowing it’s way into your prefrontal lobe to join it’s friend from the opening track, the song also features throat singing in a very effective way. The track has a dissonant solo and comes to an end with blasting and that simple, brain worm melody that runs through the whole song.
There's Always Blood At The End Of The Road is a staggeringly good album, it’s also very nasty, very fast, very angry and filled with filth and squalidness. The focus that was present on the De Doden Habben Het Goed albums is gone, but it has been replaced with frenzy, dissonance, viciousness and spite. Wiegedood have not fallen into the trap that a lot of bands who are initially successful fall into; they have developed and grown. Whether or not you like the new direction the band have gone in (and I like it a lot!), you cannot fault the band for playing it safe, or been timid.
Until It Is Not is fast and flowing with some mid-paced parts, to make up for this pleasantness the vocals are savage and unhinged. The track has a section which has a bit of a noise rock feel, before those horrific vocals return send you back to drowning in anxiety. Now Will Always Be has a brooding intro before a simple riff and blasting drums crash in. The song features throat singing (which works so well on Wiegedood's material, I’m surprised more bands aren’t using it) and has simple riffs added to achieve a layered sound that is hypnotic and swirls around your head. The song comes to an end with one of the tremolo picked riffs dominating, whilst the song calms down and drifts to an end. Wade is a short clean instrumental that is brooding and very effective.
Nuages is a savage beast. War metal fast blasting, with so much aggression, particularly in the vocals. The track has a slower part that manages to be just as angry and aggressive as the staggeringly fast parts, a section that is very Industrial/Harsh Noise and a nicely dissonant ending. Theft And Begging is all about dynamics. The song opens very fast, before going into a slow and measured part, the track then speeds up but has a brooding feel to it. After this the song is slow, but very driving and purposeful, it then builds itself back for a very extreme end.
The album comes to a close with the track Carousel (no, it’s not a song from the musical). The track is fast and simple, this is another track that features a simple little tune that is repeated until it is burrowing it’s way into your prefrontal lobe to join it’s friend from the opening track, the song also features throat singing in a very effective way. The track has a dissonant solo and comes to an end with blasting and that simple, brain worm melody that runs through the whole song.
There's Always Blood At The End Of The Road is a staggeringly good album, it’s also very nasty, very fast, very angry and filled with filth and squalidness. The focus that was present on the De Doden Habben Het Goed albums is gone, but it has been replaced with frenzy, dissonance, viciousness and spite. Wiegedood have not fallen into the trap that a lot of bands who are initially successful fall into; they have developed and grown. Whether or not you like the new direction the band have gone in (and I like it a lot!), you cannot fault the band for playing it safe, or been timid.
They have taken the bands already successful sound and by adding chaos, savagery and some of the most angry and vengeful vocals I have ever heard, produced a stunning black metal album. 9/10
Shadow Of Intent - Elegy (Nuclear Blast) [Richard Oliver]
Shadow Of Intent are a new band for my ears and Elegy which is the fourth full length album for the band is my first exposure to them. When reading up on the band I’ll fully admit that I sighed deeply upon seeing deathcore in the description but I really should not have written off the band before listening as Elegy is an excellent album. Although the sound of the band is rooted in deathcore there is so much more going on here and crossovers in other genres that deathcore is a lazy term to describe the glorious music on this album. One of the big overriding and impressive aspects of the band's sound is their use of symphonics which elevates this music giving it a cinematic scale and scope whilst managing to sound restrained and resisting the urge to go over the top.
Shadow Of Intent are a new band for my ears and Elegy which is the fourth full length album for the band is my first exposure to them. When reading up on the band I’ll fully admit that I sighed deeply upon seeing deathcore in the description but I really should not have written off the band before listening as Elegy is an excellent album. Although the sound of the band is rooted in deathcore there is so much more going on here and crossovers in other genres that deathcore is a lazy term to describe the glorious music on this album. One of the big overriding and impressive aspects of the band's sound is their use of symphonics which elevates this music giving it a cinematic scale and scope whilst managing to sound restrained and resisting the urge to go over the top.
There are also elements of melodic death metal, technical death metal and symphonic black metal present throughout Elegy. Songs such as Farewell, The Coming Fire and Of Fury are prime examples of this mix being vast epic pieces of music whilst simultaneously being savage and brutal pieces of death metal. Life Of Exile is my personal favourite from the album with the cinematic elements being pushed to the fore and being a far more emotion driven and atmospheric piece of music with the excellent and effective inclusion of some clean vocals though the most ambitious moment comes at the end of the album with the expansive three part Elegy suite. Performance wise the band are on absolute fire with some fantastic drumming from Bryce Butler and some absolutely killer lead guitar work from Chris Wiseman.
The vocals from Ben Duerr also need special mention for his ability to effortlessly switch from extremely guttural death growls to blackened shrieks. Elegy is an album that modern death metal fans should be all over with its compelling mix of deathcore, symphonics, melody and technical ability and at just over an hour it is just the right length as well. The band as well as being phenomenal performers are excellent songwriters and this is definitely an album that I will be happily revisiting. Though definitely rooted in deathcore this is a band that is very much transcending that genre into something very special indeed. 9/10
Power Paladin – With The Magic Of Windfyre Steel (Atomic Fire Records) [Matt Bladen]
Previously known as Paladin between 2017 and 2020, I would assume the name change came from there being several other bands with that name, the most prominent being the Atlanta Georgia power metal act. So now Power Paladin, who are also a power metal band have unleashed their debut album which flies in the face of most of the Icelandic music scene. The windswept, glacial introspection is replaced by galloping fantasy influenced tunes, powerful vocals, twin axe attacks and a keen ear for European power and traditional metal.
The band are trying to actively trying to distance themselves from the extensive extreme metal representation Iceland has by bringing some chest beating, swords held aloft fun to the islands musical landscape. As soon as you press play you can pretty hear that they have nailed it, tracks such as the rampaging Into The Forbidden Forest remind me of the genre greats such as Helloween as well as fellow Scandi’s such as Stratovarius. It’s a thunderous effort that stands as the penultimate song on the record but, it is only one of the nine excellent songs featured on this debut.
Kraven The Hunter kicks us off and while it’s got that NWOBHM punch and a shouted repeating chorus, it’s a delight for fans of soloing as guitarists Ingi Þórisson/Bjarni Þór Jóhannsson, bassist Kristleifur Þorsteinsson all get a solos in the middle eight. It’s a punchy opener that puts a smile on your face and a fist in the air. They take their inspiration from all of the classic power/symphonic bands, Evermore feels like Rhapsody meets Running Wild as it tells of sailing too far off lands, with Bjarni Egill Ögmundsson’s orchestrations and piano giving a cinematic sound. Atli Guðlaugsson’s piercing vocals are well in the realms of Michael Kiske or Jocaim Cans, delivering tracks such as Dark Crystal brilliantly as Óskar Rúnarsson adds some death growls, the speed metal feel driven by the relentless percussion of Einar Karl Júlíusson.
Single handedly trying to shift the Icelandic music scene into a more accessible realm Power Paladin's debut; With The Magic Of Windfyre Steel (an incredibly cheesy album name), is a brilliant album that fans of swords, sorcery and solos will love. 9/10
King Bastard - It Came From The Void (Self Released) [Rich P]
Heavy. That was going to be my one-word submission for this review for the debut from Long Island’s
King Bastard. That was the first thing that came to my head upon first listen; I was blown away by the
heaviness of this album. As you start to explore It Came From The Void more you get bits of a lot of
really great stuff. The mostly instrumental album brings the self-described “Psychedelic Filth” over the
Single handedly trying to shift the Icelandic music scene into a more accessible realm Power Paladin's debut; With The Magic Of Windfyre Steel (an incredibly cheesy album name), is a brilliant album that fans of swords, sorcery and solos will love. 9/10
King Bastard - It Came From The Void (Self Released) [Rich P]
Heavy. That was going to be my one-word submission for this review for the debut from Long Island’s
King Bastard. That was the first thing that came to my head upon first listen; I was blown away by the
heaviness of this album. As you start to explore It Came From The Void more you get bits of a lot of
really great stuff. The mostly instrumental album brings the self-described “Psychedelic Filth” over the
six tracks. You can really vibe with the 70s space horror theme that is carried throughout, at times
feeling like you are on that ship floating to your doom. Or with the final track, Succumb To The Void,
alone in heavy space, with no ship, minutes before your oxygen runs out, marking the end with a nice
acoustic outro to really bring it home.
feeling like you are on that ship floating to your doom. Or with the final track, Succumb To The Void,
alone in heavy space, with no ship, minutes before your oxygen runs out, marking the end with a nice
acoustic outro to really bring it home.
This album makes you feel like you are there and does so amazingly with almost no vocals and just a few audio clips. Beginning to end you are engrossed in the story and can visualize the plight of the crew, leveraging many styles and instruments to get you there. You get the heavy doom on the opening track, From Hell To Horizon. Some heavy psych, with some nicely place saxophone on Kelper-452b. Some straight-out psych infused black metal on Psychosis (In A Vacuum), and that killer closing track where you get a bit of it all, including some keys, that bring a nice touch. I tend to lean more towards bands with vocals, but King Bastard has taken telling a story with (mostly) music alone to a new level. I did not need to crutch of the signer telling me what was happening on It Came From The Void, which is a testament to how good this album is, especially for a debut. 8/10
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