Woods of Ypres – Woods 3: Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues
Krankenhaus Records – No Barcode – January 5th, 2008
By Jack Deming
Finally, after much confusion and delay, the long anticipated third offering from one of the most important melodic black metal bands in recent years is here. Since I'm sure you're in no mood to wait even to read a few more paragraphs, I’ll just come out and say it. Even as I finished up my very first listen, it was clear that Woods of Ypres have yet again created something truly different that will be remembered as such, and their minimalist approach will set a precedent of quality for certain bands at the present that seem more concerned with quantity. With every subsequent run through of the album came a deeper appreciation of the subtle aspects of this powerful music, and while this album is far from perfect, the enigmatic effect that it has on the listener (this listener at least) is what sets it apart from the many other bands in its respective genre.
On a slightly different note, I must admit this album is so Canadian in lyrical content that sometimes I feel I’d appreciate it more if I was clad in a red jacket and riding a moose through snowy countryside. With song titles like 'Your Ontario Town is a Burial Ground, and 'December of Windsor', this album will definitely speak to Canadian listeners in a very real way, even though there are more than a few song titles and lyrics that definitely raise the eyebrows. ‘To Lock Eyes with a Wild Beast’? Trying a bit hard perhaps? However, as a whole the themes are very thought provoking, and at times it is difficult to distinguish whether Ontario, Canada, the main lyrical focus, is the subject of nostalgia, distaste, or a mixture of both. This room for interpretation is one of the reasons why Woods of Ypres are one of the few bands whose lyrics actually interest me.
The first two tracks on Woods 3 were very disquieting to my ears upon first listen. ‘The Northern Cold’ is likeable enough, as it should be considering that it's been the most featured song online from Woods 3, but for some reason it just doesn’t click with me. All I can say is that if I had heard this with no previous knowledge of this band, I wouldn’t have bothered with them any further. The second track, ‘Iron Grudge’, is a song that really has no place whatsoever on a Woods of Ypres album. Sounding like nothing the band has ever produced, this song needlessly throws off the enigmatic vibe of the album, a random filler in the midst of far more sophisticated music. If I want to listen to epic kvlt black metal, Woods of Ypres is not the band I reach for. Needless to say, I was more than a little unimpressed by this less than remarkable start.
However, by halfway through the third track my misgivings were completely forgotten, and I remained blissfully unpestered by them for the rest of the album. Right away the full lyrical and musical potential of Woods of Ypres is put to practice in ‘Your Ontario Town Is a Burial Ground’, a song that immediately identifies itself as the standout track of the album. 'Ontario Town' masterfully paints the picture of the archetypal dead end, prison of a small town of any region, with which many listeners will surely identify. ‘Ontario Town’ and everything that follows is a showcase of David Gold & Co. at their very best, and the maturity that they have gained as a band is apparent. Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues conveys the profound balance in every aspect of this music, the tension and release, and the smooth transitions from crushing, blast beat laden tremelo picked sections to ethereal acoustic passages. Woods 3 has set the bar very high for other bands as well as Woods themselves when they return (hopefully sooner this time) with their fourth opus.
Official Woods of Ypres Website
Official Krankenhaus Records Website
Krankenhaus Records – No Barcode – January 5th, 2008
By Jack Deming
Finally, after much confusion and delay, the long anticipated third offering from one of the most important melodic black metal bands in recent years is here. Since I'm sure you're in no mood to wait even to read a few more paragraphs, I’ll just come out and say it. Even as I finished up my very first listen, it was clear that Woods of Ypres have yet again created something truly different that will be remembered as such, and their minimalist approach will set a precedent of quality for certain bands at the present that seem more concerned with quantity. With every subsequent run through of the album came a deeper appreciation of the subtle aspects of this powerful music, and while this album is far from perfect, the enigmatic effect that it has on the listener (this listener at least) is what sets it apart from the many other bands in its respective genre.
On a slightly different note, I must admit this album is so Canadian in lyrical content that sometimes I feel I’d appreciate it more if I was clad in a red jacket and riding a moose through snowy countryside. With song titles like 'Your Ontario Town is a Burial Ground, and 'December of Windsor', this album will definitely speak to Canadian listeners in a very real way, even though there are more than a few song titles and lyrics that definitely raise the eyebrows. ‘To Lock Eyes with a Wild Beast’? Trying a bit hard perhaps? However, as a whole the themes are very thought provoking, and at times it is difficult to distinguish whether Ontario, Canada, the main lyrical focus, is the subject of nostalgia, distaste, or a mixture of both. This room for interpretation is one of the reasons why Woods of Ypres are one of the few bands whose lyrics actually interest me.
The first two tracks on Woods 3 were very disquieting to my ears upon first listen. ‘The Northern Cold’ is likeable enough, as it should be considering that it's been the most featured song online from Woods 3, but for some reason it just doesn’t click with me. All I can say is that if I had heard this with no previous knowledge of this band, I wouldn’t have bothered with them any further. The second track, ‘Iron Grudge’, is a song that really has no place whatsoever on a Woods of Ypres album. Sounding like nothing the band has ever produced, this song needlessly throws off the enigmatic vibe of the album, a random filler in the midst of far more sophisticated music. If I want to listen to epic kvlt black metal, Woods of Ypres is not the band I reach for. Needless to say, I was more than a little unimpressed by this less than remarkable start.
However, by halfway through the third track my misgivings were completely forgotten, and I remained blissfully unpestered by them for the rest of the album. Right away the full lyrical and musical potential of Woods of Ypres is put to practice in ‘Your Ontario Town Is a Burial Ground’, a song that immediately identifies itself as the standout track of the album. 'Ontario Town' masterfully paints the picture of the archetypal dead end, prison of a small town of any region, with which many listeners will surely identify. ‘Ontario Town’ and everything that follows is a showcase of David Gold & Co. at their very best, and the maturity that they have gained as a band is apparent. Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues conveys the profound balance in every aspect of this music, the tension and release, and the smooth transitions from crushing, blast beat laden tremelo picked sections to ethereal acoustic passages. Woods 3 has set the bar very high for other bands as well as Woods themselves when they return (hopefully sooner this time) with their fourth opus.
Official Woods of Ypres Website
Official Krankenhaus Records Website
Dynamic, very cold, stark and angry...
