Now I must say, I took a bit of a punt on this one when it became available for review. ‘Why not try something a bit different?’ I thought. After all, a bit of variation once in a while does no harm. The only problem being that after a couple of listens I was still stumped for any comparisons. One quick consultation of a metal-web-resource later however, and names like Dark Tranquility and Insomnium were thrown into the equation. With no concrete knowledge of bands like these, recourse to a certain video-web-resource soon confirmed that indeed these young Germans do sound comparable in their metallic approach to the aforementioned Scandinavians.
Opener ‘Continuum Shift’ eases the listener in with some soothing guitars and a vortex of keyboard before the drums appear to signal oncoming heaviness. When it does arrive, we are saturated by an avalanche of rich guitars and bass. Perhaps the word ‘epic’ is the first to spring to mind. Anyhow, it’s all fairly hefty with gruff vocals and odd bits of speed contrasted against some more sublime elements in the form of enveloping guitar lines and etherial keyboard effects. In terms of the latter, it’s initially pleasing to report that rather than being intrusive, they provide a shroud of swirling atmosphere. But even when things do become more overbearing, as in the poetic ‘Telltale Notion’, a fine enough balance is struck between the metal and any ivory tinkled mania to pull it off. In this particular case, it all becomes a bit 70s prog. Being Wakeman-ised is not a thing I can ever say I’ve been into, so it genuinely did come as a surprise not to be put off the album almost straight away. Instead, I found myself locked firmly in place by grandiose riffs and arrangements.
It’s easy to imagine that for fans of less intense metal, WOF has a lot to offer. A vast track like ‘In Kingdoms of Rain’ – which to me sounds quite similar to Nightwish etc – is contrasted against the emptiness and bitterness of ‘Damaged Beyond Repair’ quite seamlessly. In a musical sense it goes without saying that these guys are proficient, amalgamating styles and atmospheres as they do. The one problem as the record continues is that the heaviness – those quasi-death metal elements which I’m particularly interested in – never really exceeds the base level established in the opening tracks. As acknowledged earlier, there are some hefty riffs amidst the polish and progressive antics but they are seldom more than this adjective implies. Ultimately I’m left a bit frustrated by the likes of ‘Temporary Loss of Reason’. Just when you become excited at the prospect of the band exhibiting its capacity to get more metallic and slightly unhinged, slick, soft layers and sci-fi prog-fest keyboard solos appear to eclipse it all.
However, there’s really little else to complain about with ‘The Black Wild Yonder’. It’s well played, über produced and and is, as they say, what it is. For me it works best as background music but I’m sure that fans who know what they’re getting themselves into will immerse themselves completely in the album’s melancholic avenues. (Now has anyone seen where I put my Revenge albums?)
(8/10 Jamie)
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