Breaking out from your very own Groundhog Day and escaping the same old same old has gotten very difficult during the pandemic. A good album is a blessing in these times. It can transport you to another place, to another dimension. Temple, the new album by Belgians Wolvennest, will definitely do that for you. All you need in order to do some escaping is a good set of headphones. Alternatively, you can crank up the sound on your stereo to the max. In any case, cutting out all outside noise is essential for maximum effect.
Born in 2013, the dark star of Wolvennest is ever rising and gaining more and more fans. Their self-titled debut (2016) saw them mixing 70’s Krautrock psychedelic sounds with early 90’s Norwegian Black Metal. Void (2018) took them in a darker, more occult and ritualistic direction. Temple, the band’s third full-length and an unusually immersive and enchanting listening experience, brings together all that was and still adds something on top of that.
The album title, as simple as it is fitting, provides a hint as to where this musical journey is taking you. Via psychedelic sounds, doom and ambient rock, via repetitive and meditative, pounding beats, guitar loops and ritual chanting, you will find yourself transported to the temple of an unknown cult, observing an occult ceremony led by the cult’s high priestess. The cult, it seems, borrows from Nordic and Asian mysticism, but has combined all its influences to form something unique.
To say that Temple has a lot going on would be an understatement. The album’s soundscapes are rich, heavy and filled to the rim. A very special atmosphere is masterfully being created – right up to the listener almost being able to smell the incense being burned, to see the smoke swirling along with the music’s melodies. Asian/Indian undertones are omnipresent – in the music, the imagery and the song titles. Tensions rise and fall, but things stay intense until the very end. And it’s not a short journey either: With almost 78 minutes playtime you certainly do get your money’s worth of music.
Heavily contributing to the occult atmosphere are Shazzula’s witchy vocals. Situated somewhere between Patty Smith and Siouxsie Sioux, the vocals’ level character guides you through the haze and helps to create pictures in your mind, as do many sound effects. In Swear to Fire, for example, I can hear a singing saw, reminding me of old, black-and-white horror movies. The album’s vibe swerves between occult and gothic, and one of the more gothic sounding tracks is certainly Succubus which features TJ Cowgill, aka King Dude, as guest vocalist.
Wolvennest have been almost a constant at Roadburn in recent years. For this year’s online version of the festival, Roadburn Redux, they will perform their new album in full. In this ongoing dry season for shows this will certainly be a highlight. I’m looking very much forward to it.
(8.5/10 Slavica)
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