ALBUM REVIEW: Wolvennest – Temple

Belgian Psychedelic Black Metallers WOLVENNEST return with their elaborate second opus, set for release via Van Records on March 5th. If this album can deliver an experience as awe-inspiring as the debut, then a real treat lies ahead.

We begin our journey with subtle and haunting soundscapes the begin with glacial ambience as transcendent guitars howl into life, shrouded in delay and reverb to create an almost oscillating effect, this immediately works to chilling effect. Suddenly doomy guitars drone forth from the ether atop mountainous drum beats, surrounding in opulent psychedelic ambience. In unison these sounds beckon to us from the abyss with yawning portals, concocted by such mesmerising and resplendent instrumentation and vocals alike. The incantation-like vocals add such a beauty to the tribal drumming and ritualistic riffs, always coated in a thick layer of ambience. This sublime blend has always been the way of Wolvennest whom opt for a far more intense and densely layered approach to their hypnotic atmospherics than many contemporaries, making them a hard band to place in a genre, compare to others or even write about to great effect as many elements of this music is quite hard to put into words, however I will endeavour to do it justice in this write-up. Following the subtle and yet heavily nuanced opening piece, the follow-up “Swear To Fire” entices us with a spectral blend of more traditional Black Metal riffs atop concrete percussion though met with estranged, otherworldly vocals that are sung in a form of chant, adding to the daunting vibrancy of the piece. Hopefully these early moments are testimony to the diverse and richly textured experience that lies in wait throughout with endless serpentine trails leading off from the intense musical core.

Though the repetition and sparse mixing of instruments may sound somewhat atonal upon first encountering this band, one whom seeks what lies below the surface will be treated to a rich tundra of melody, superb musicianship and most of all a uniquely gorgeous yet unnerving atmosphere that courses through the veins in a manner like no other band nor substance can be comparative to. A lot of the vocal presence on the album is a blend of singing with a spoken-word like quality, adding a poetic angle that should be familiar to Wolvennest fans, though the lyrics remain elusive. Through a more spacious and doom-laden approach to their occult rites, this band has achieved a completely different brand of intensity to many of their Extreme Metal counterparts. While Black Metal remains one element of the Wolvennest sound, the psychedelic ambience and vaguer oddities are just as key to their music, thus while I consider them a Black Metal band, it is unjust to brand them as this solely as their grander design of spiritual music has far more outside the box than many can claim from within it. So, though I urge fans of Black Metal and music in general to check this recording out, the earlier half may not appeal to those unwilling to witness a far more expansive act in the genre than they may be prepared for.

Upon lucid plains of thought, the ever-evolving and supremely evocative soundscapes continually evolve and shift through soulfully melodious offerings from the entire band. Doomy and bluesy guitars coupled with pounding rocky drums and that array of ambient instrumentation hits us in unison with varied and tempering vocals to offer a calming notion to this unforgiving intensity. It seems every element of the sound has been carefully selected from the analogue reverberations to the crunchy yet cleanly stomping guitar tone, each drum hit booms with sound waves that shake the mix while the vocals glide upon these richly layered instruments superbly. Perhaps the blend of additional instruments to the typical guitars, bass, drums and vocals are what ties everything together so perfectly, or vice versa? The process of this band is something I can even begin to deliberate upon, though I can certainly marvel at the outcome. Later pieces on the record such as “All That Black” and “Disappear” are more concise and hard-hitting offerings, perhaps a good starting point for newcomers planning to only hear a song or so, though I urge anyone with a serious musical lust to witness the entire work as it is intended. The mood itself picks up in angst before towards the end of the album dissipating into a gothic and ceremonial brilliance with utter grace.

Wolvennest have unleashed another spectacle that offers occult spiritual indulgence of epic proportions. I will reiterate that this is not run-of-the-mill Black Metal nor music of any conventionally easy to categorise sort. The doomy, brooding and tranquil energies of the album are counternbalanced with malicious and well-placed moments of aggression, preferring on the whole to draw intensity from a more monolithic delivery of repeptition to hypnotic effect. This conjuration of the dark arts is definitely something wonderful to bare witness to for all whom seek an unlighted and spiritual experience through music.