Wrang emerges from its lair.
Two years after their last EP, the duo Galgenvot (vocals/guitar/bass, Nevel, Sarastus…) and Valr (drums, Bodyfarm, Deathless Void, Weltschmerz…) returns with their third album, Verwording, released via Dominance of Darkness Records.
The album immediately kicks off with Stilstand, an as icy as aggressive opening track rooted in Old School sounds, making full use of its biting tones at every turn while intense vocal parts are woven into the furious mix. There is a wide variety of screams, ranging from the style’s usual growls to far more visceral parts that blend with intoxicating melodies before giving way to the equally piercing ones of Entartete kunst, the next track, which also hits the ground running. The rhythm section is even rawer, using dissonance to amplify its obvious and infectious fury, but there are also hints of heavy metal in the solo before the final section, which leads into Nachten in Walheim, an even more virulent track that doesn’t hesitate to adopt a fast tempo to incorporate Pagan influences. The vocalist lets loose once more, delivering terrifying vocals as the riffs relentlessly lash out before finally calming down for this gentle outro, only to erupt again on Voor ons de zee, a slower yet heavier and more imposing track. The ethereal melodies contribute to this more accessible atmosphere that flirts with doom, and which doesn’t hesitate to escalate once again thanks to the double bass drum and blast beats, driven by the vocalist’s power; yet the track remains fairly short, giving way to the darkness of De duivel is de ander, which immediately follows in its footsteps. Here we find all the depth of unbridled violence, but also the more haunting melodies that brilliantly frame it, returning to more jagged tones in this rush toward the final, the true climax of the album before Bitjebauw, the last, very long composition that takes the time to offer us a moment of respite in the company of crows during its introduction before shifting to a livelier rhythm punctuated by elegant touches, creating a sumptuous contrast before the seizing DSBM influences become even more prominent, even incorporating orchestrations to make the end even more gripping.
Wrang once again succeeds in transforming its pure Black Metal into a blend of influences as devastating as it is striking. While its roots are firmly anchored in darkness, the band knows exactly how to navigate its various nuances on Verwording.
95/100
