Watain – Lawless Darkness
Death's Cold Dark
Malfeitor
Reaping Death
Four Thrones
Wolves Curse
Lawless Darkness
Total Funeral
Hymn to Qayin
Kiss of Death
Waters of Ain
A complex antidote to textbook black metal is delivered courtesy of Swedish gore merchants Watain. Backed by an impressive track record of Bathory tributes and praise from genre giants Celtic Frost, the band’s forward-thinking efforts are balanced by evident respect for their forefathers.
Boasting percussive rhythm sections and riffs as raw as a septic wound, ‘Lawless Darkness’ cleverly reassembles these old school trademarks, infusing the end result with a generous dose of doom and grainy production. Traditionalists will revel in ‘Total Funeral’s’ rasping, multidirectional notes, while the likes of ‘Malfeitor’ tread more melodic territory alongside rhythmic pockets of aggression. Accelerating from mid-paced passages to warp speed, Watain adjust time signatures with organic ease. Added to the mix are high-energy cuts of rock and gang vocals, which for the most part remain understated enough not to compromise ‘…Darkness’’ monstrous sound quality.
Uniting primitive metal and melancholia, the album’s intricate title track features moving, doom-tinged refrains and almost neoclassical solos. Amid an explosive fusion of fluid harmonies and abrasive guitars, Erik “E” Danielsson’s rather shallow range lacks the excess of carnage frequently seen splashed across the trio’s infamously bloody live shows. Nevertheless, the whole affair reeks of distorted brutality flecked with satanic visions and cinematic soundscapes. Crammed with atmospheric twists and violent turns, ‘Lawless Darkness’ is a bewilderingly brilliant record. Watain’s recent vow that “black metal will be reborn” looks set to be extravagantly fulfilled. 8/10
Reviewed by Faye Coulman
‘Lawless Darkness’ is out 7th June on Season of Mist |
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