Wode: Burn in Many Mirrors

Wode always had a solid reputation, but this album, the band’s third, is easily their most accomplished to date. It is also their first release with 20 Buck Spin, a terrific label that should help the band find an even larger audience. It’s exciting to see this happen, especially with a band as good as this. Wode’s overall strength comes from effective songwriting that blends elements of black and death metal in ways that put force above atmosphere. The band’s take on black and death metal also blends in enough classic 80s metal to give everything variety and depth that I think most fans will appreciate.

If you listen to the album’s closer, “Streams of Rapture,� you’ll hear just how good this band is at blending multiple elements of extreme metal into one song. The synthesized opening has an old-school video game vibe, one that evokes mystery and danger while also getting you ready for what’s coming. As the band shifts away from the opening, they unleash a terrific amount of force that sounds just like old school thrash meets 90s death metal. But that’s not all. The song next transitions into a chuggy mid-section that naturally weaves in some melodic bits while never losing any momentum. The song also plays with twin guitar harmonies and has a clean and classic guitar solo near the end that was just what this song needed. There’s a melodic sensibility to this band and the fact that they use melodies so well within their overall attack really sets this band apart. I also loved the way the end moved the chords around just enough to raise the stakes and keep things going just a little longer.

“Streams of Rapture� was my favorite track because it was such a strong closer, but there are plenty of other gems here. “Fire in the Hills� is a killer track with a memorable mid-tempo opening that nicely transitions into a crisp and melodic riff that pushes things forward perfectly. This band knows how to craft memorable openings by playing with different ideas until they settle into their main purpose. Album opener “Lunar Madness� is another solid track that has a well-defined opening that leads nicely into a powerful overall attack. “Serpent’s Coil� follows through with plenty of energy and power, but it also weaves in some melodic components that will make fans of classic metal proud. If you’ve listened so far, you shouldn’t miss “Sulphuric Glow� or “Vanish Beneath.�

There isn’t a bad track on this album. The songwriting is solid and the performances are aggressive and energetic. The band says they are just excited about this album now as they were while they were writing it. They have every reason to be. This album shows us a band coming into their own.

Track Listing:
1. Lunar Madness
2. Serpent’s Coil
3. Fire in the Hills
4. Sulphuric Glow
5. Vanish Beneath
6. Streams of Rapture (I,II,III)

Added: July 5th 2021
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Bandcamp Page
Hits: 826
Language: english

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