ALBUM REVIEW: A Dying Wish – Thulcandra

There’s an expression, or an argument, used in economics which contends that “a rising tide lifts all boats”. Whether it holds true in that sphere is up for debate, but obviously that’s not really what we’re here to talk about. Instead, with an increasing number of bands in both black and death metal drawing from the past with impressive results, the question is will those rising tides lift the boat of German veterans THULCANDRA? Formed in 2003, the four-piece have always had a bit of a throwback sound. In particular, they owe plenty to the Swedish scene, and bands like DISSECTION, ENTOMBED and AT THE GATES. A Dying Wish is their fourth full-length, and one that breaks a six-year silence in the wake of 2015’s Ascension Lost. It finds the band in fine form, offering a melodic yet bracing take on blackened death metal.

The album’s artwork offers plenty of indication of the band’s icy intentions on A Dying Wish. This is a cold and frosty record, one stuffed full of the usual blast beat and tremolo-picking suspects. After a brief acoustic intro, the band come thundering out the gate with exactly that on opener Funeral Pyre. Much of the same follows throughout, with the record running through its 10 tracks in a well-judged 45 minutes. Founder and vocalist Steffen Kummerer draws out the black metal comparisons in particular, his screams mostly sitting on the higher end of the harsh vocal spectrum to add to the record’s generally biting quality.

Kummerer’s guitar work stands out too. Paired with relatively new recruit Mariano Delastik, the duo trade off razor sharp riffs and leads from start to finish. They also provide some impressive solos, not least on tracks like Scarred Grandeur and In Vein. Behind them, Alessandro Delastik plays the part of a standard black metal drummer with ease. He blasts away just as he should, but also slows things to a weightier heft where needed. Sadly, bassist Christian Kratzer passed away in August 2020, but he makes a final appearance here with a low end that keeps everything grounded.

As a veteran metal band, it’s clear THULCANDRA understand the notion of – and need for – light and shade in their music. A Dying Wish is a dynamic enough record, its blackened intensity interspersed with moments of quiet delicacy and melody. If there’s a criticism here though, it’s that practically all of these moments rely heavily on acoustic guitars. This feels like a slightly missed opportunity. While interludes like Orchard Of Grievance and In Bleak Misery serve their purpose adequately, it might have been nice to see the band mix things up a little more than they do here. Admittedly, even these acoustic guitars can be a useful tool in some of the album’s more ferocious moments. Sixth track The Silvering Silver is a prime example, the acoustics here only adding to the band’s already expansive sound.

Ultimately, A Dying Wish sees THULCANDRA running with the pack when it comes to black and death metal. It doesn’t do much to stand out, but it doesn’t lag behind either. Its runtime is sensible, its craft is solid, and the production captures all the band’s fury, melody and dynamism well. This might not top your Albums Of The Year list, but if you’re looking for something to soundtrack the harshest and coldest days of our impending winter then A Dying Wish will do nicely.

Rating: 7/10

A Dying Wish is set for release on October 29th via Napalm Records.

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