Swedish melodic black metal group, Wormwood have returned with their fourth album, The Star. Having never heard of this band before, I guess the eponymous star shone brightly in terms of first impressions, making me want to hear more from these Swedes as well as listen to this album several times before reviewing.
I wouldn’t say this was a bog-standard melodic black metal release, though Wormwood are the type I’d recommend to fans of Naglfar and Valkyrie. As the album progresses we are treated to a backing choir of young voices as well as some gothic style female vocals that would make Katatonia smile. It’s not a gothic metal album, but I’d give Wormwood credit for combining melodies and gothic imagery well in the blending of this beautiful audible tome.
Another point of intrigue is the band’s alternation between English and Swedish lyrics. While I didn’t quite pick up the overall concept of the album – if there was one – the diversity of said lyrics reflects how this band meant business.
The album art reminded me of the Stephen King novel Under the Dome, so if the band had an idea of a lost, lonely community descending into madness as the world is swallowed by some otherworldly force, they got the job done.
The Star is an album you’ll want to check out if you enjoy the melodic and gothic areas of black metal and if you want to know just how influential the empty, lonely, wooded tundra of the band’s homeland is on metal that’s made for the loneliest of minds.
(8/10 Demitri Levantis)
Leave a Reply