Being one of the most renowned post-90s black metal bands, Watain’s orthodox style that has influences from Swedish black metal melodies and Norwegian riffing has very well captured a sound that is both ferocious and catchy. Watain released some solid albums in the 2000s, with classics like ‘Casus Luciferi’ and ‘Lawless Darkness’ being some of the highlights of the decade. ‘The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain’ is their best release in over a decade, and I am loving the direction they are taking since ‘Trident Wolf Eclipse’. ‘The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain’ releases on the 29th of April.
Watain sounds venomously reinvigorated on their latest album. Their sound is crisp, their rage deliberate, their melodies potent. Watain continues to dig further into Gnosticism, esoteric Mythology, and Satanic symbolism with their lyrical themes. ‘The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain’ has the soul of the old, the riffs and structures of the 90s, and the decorations of bands like Dissection, Emperor, and Mayhem. A well-rounded 50 mins of blistering tracks of competent and energetic orthodox black metal.
Just the way ‘The Agony…’ starts with the opening track “Ecstasies in Night Infinite” is a foreboding sign of the decibels you’ll go through. You’d almost wonder if the mix is too loud and would impact sustainability. But once the track settles into its primary rhythm, things start to locate themselves on the overall frame. The drumming is spectacular throughout the album, and the nefarious riffs create an unsettling shadow over the listener. Tracks like “Serimosa” and “We Remain” see Watain build a brooding atmosphere by putting some brakes on the unabashed pace of the rest of the album. “We Remain” features mesmerizing clean vocals from Farida Lemouchi of The Devil’s Blood fame. These tracks punctuate and accentuate the rampage that is the rest of the album. “Funeral Winter” is my favorite track on the album. As the name suggests, the riffing is extremely fast and cold, with no punches being pulled here. The fact that it follows the slowest track of the album also just makes it feel like you’ve been run over by a truck.
Watain’s latest is their return to the quality of some of the best works in their catalog. ‘The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain’ is galvanizing, and avalanches through with the momentum they built with their previous album. Watain’s influences are actuated, their energies rejuvenated, their prayers heard.
