Withered Land emerges from Belarus’ depths.
Since 2020, Olga Kann (composition/lyrics/bass, Bleeding Malice) compose The Endless Journey, the band’s first album, that gets real with Alexander Rabets (vocals, Bleeding Malice) and Koliopanos Filippos (guitar, Ocean of Grief, On Thorns I Lay).
We begin with Through The Misty Mountains, a composition that immediately sets the basis of an Atmospheric Black Metal with epic influences. The rhythmic is haunting, oppressive and airy, developing heady sonorities and Folk influences. Wraiths Surround Us All, the next song, offers once again this coldness and the rawest atmosphere while unveiling Viking/Folk Metal roots, above all with this break and folkloric instruments’ addition. Pure strength surfaces again during Mournful Story Never Ends, when the rhythmic crushes us after a mesmerizing introduction. The progression is simple, but it drives us to a suffocating clean sounding break that eventually becomes frightening before some Doom/Death rhythm part, while Over Distant Shores unveils darker and more dissonant influences. The track is as theatrical as heavy, and offers majestic orchestrations before Death Was Always Near, that develops a painful melancholy supported by thicker parts. Melodies are haunting and painful, just like those howlings and those penetrating leads that will die into the void.
This first manifesto from Withered Land unveils a painful and haunting sound. The Endless Journey crushes us with its heavy rhythmic while lacerating us with melancholic leads surmounted by seizing howlings for a soaring journey.
85/100
