It’s always more than welcome receiving a box of review discs from Polish label Godz ov War especially as we are locked down in Brexit land. Going through these and noting bands both new and old it was Wilczyca ‘the she wolves’ who immediately stuck out as they had only recently been covered for their debut self-titled album. ‘Horda’ has been quickly formulated a scant 6 months after this, seeing Louve (instruments) and Nidhogg (vocals) quick to return from their own isolation with another album of mysterious and highly atmospheric black metal.
There is no beating about the bush with the 1st couple of murderous numbers here. The Horde are quick out the trap with a couple of just over 2-minute tracks steeped in pummelling drums, scathing guitars and verminous vocals. As noted last time round Nidhogg has a savage rasp about him that really has you taking note. The combination of Polish language and elongated snarls are blood-thirsty and raw, the music dashing headlong around them is suitably frantic and attacks like a mad gallop through the forests, wolves very much snapping at the heels. A bouncy thrash laden brackish punk swagger is injected into the album’s self-titled track managing to pack plenty into its scant running time and keeping the listener well and truly on their toes. Ambience follows in the form of the eerie ‘Echo’ a mist laden sojourn into a haunted realm, full of that aforementioned atmosphere which is creepy and sends a shiver down the spine as it shuts all light out from its barren kingdom. The ‘Miecz na pomazańca’ (Sword Of The Anointed) is gripped and hefted aloft the cleave of its swing tarred with a depressive nature after the head is removed from the shoulders of its victim. Vocals are solemnly whispered and the track has surges of violently thrashing tumult mixing with the solemn and more ponderous maudlin approach. Shrieks and cries echo through the gloom and it’s all highly effective.
The centrepiece of the album is the 16-minute epic ‘Demon’ a track that seems to combine the facets of the group’s ideas. Battering in savagely its an uncompromising raw tour-de-force complete with shrill howls from the frontman who in line with the title sounds suitably possessed. Interspersed with a long passage of mesmerising tremolo plucking, the moon suggests lycanthropic transformation as things get even wilder but the real surprise is the second half which suddenly presents synthesized ambience forming things into a cold and meditative soundscape. Having exorcised this haunted domain its back to unadulterated violence, numbers like Śmierć protestanckim kurwom (Death to Protestant Whores) likely to cause offence and condemnation at home. A striking album in more ways than one with its stark and pure white cover, inverted crosses and graven photography things bow out with the darkly textured Spłoniesz, the fire dimming until next time which hopefully won’t be too far away…
(8/10 Pete Woods)
Leave a Reply