Doodswens reveals a little more of itself.
Five years after their debut album, the Netherlands band led by I (vocals/drums, Riot Pill), R. (bass, live for Nordjevel), and P. (guitar/backing vocals, Dödsrit, Ossaert, Shagor…) releases their sophomore album, simply titled Doodswens, on Svart Records.
Hazy vocals greet us on Driven by Death, followed by the trio’s dark and uncompromising blend, deeply rooted in a furious and abrasive Old School approach in which the drummer’s screams resonate menacingly. While certain moments are quite trippy, one always notices the infernal touch that guides the violence while sweeping us along in its devastating tide toward Verrot, where sharp, dissonant harmonics play an even more prominent role, intensifying the heavy, chaotic atmosphere already set by the rhythm section and screams. The drums don’t hesitate to switch to an even more aggressive blast beat to emphasize their rage before giving way to The Black Flame, which grants us a brief moment of respite before returning to an oppressive yet ethereal tone, allowing the band to further develop the haunting aspect that contrasts with the more vindictive elements. The title is a bit long, letting us feel its full darkness before fading out and giving way to These Wounds Never Healed, where the band leans toward DSBM both in the instrumentation and in the palpable despair of the lament, enhanced by some equally striking backing vocals. Although it’s relatively long, the track passes fairly quickly, unlike She Carries the Curse, which takes forever to get going before plunging us headfirst into its dark ocean tinged with contagious despair that is sure to cloud our minds. We then move on to Devils Stone, where the musicians return to raw fury and aggressive passages naturally multiply, lashing us before abandoning us to Vlaamse Vloek, the final track where we find the violent approach of Black Metal for one last wave of rage before the album definitively ends on a feedback loop.
Doodswens’ universe is marked by icy Black Metal roots, yet it’s also quite diverse. On Doodswens, we find very aggressive tones, but conversely, others that are much more haunting—and it’s in these latter moments that the trio shines brightest.
80/100