ALBUM REVIEW: Constellation Of The Black Light – Wolfheart

Led by multi-instrumentalist, melodic death metal veteran and song-writing genius Tuomas Saukkonen, Finland’s WOLFHEART have been a fast-rising beast in the melodic death metal scene since their inception in 2013. Born from the remains of Saukkonen’s previous projects, all of which he brought to an end in 2013, WOLFHEART have released three incredible slabs of stunning melodic death metal since their inception – their most recent being Tyhjyys which dropped in spring last year. Not content to rest on the near-universal acclaim that record brought, the melodic death metal quartet are back already with their game-changing fourth record, Constellation Of The Black Light.

Constellation Of The Black Light follows on nicely from where Tyhjyys left off. Here, we see WOLFHEART moving away from the doomier aspects of their sound, and adopting a more blackened approach. The riffs are harsher, the atmosphere bitingly cold, and the aggression is there in spades. But the melo-death heaviness is consistently juxtaposed wonderfully throughout the album by subtle piano work and orchestration that lift the record up, giving it a new dimension and solidifying the melancholy displayed in the melodies. However, its important to note that WOLFHEART remain a melodic death metal band, with the addition of subtle symphonic elements, rather than transitioning into symphonic death metal.

Longer songs are not unusual in the Finnish brand of melodic death metal – tracks nearing the ten-minute mark are not unheard of at all. Typically a song of that scale will close the record, however WOLFHEART opted to open Constellation Of The Black Light with the truly epic Everlasting Fall, which clocks in at ten minutes, 24 seconds. It’s a bold move, but one that ultimately pays off. The mammoth length of the track allows WOLFHEART to give a stunning showcase of what can be expected from the record – Everlasting Fall has perhaps the heaviest level of orchestration on the album, is drenched in melancholy, and perfectly displays the mix of raw, blackened riff work and big, ear-worm melodies. Further, the length of the song allows the listener to relax and become fully immersed in the music – an immersion that will continue throughout the album.

Following from the epic, in the truest sense of the word, Everlasting Fall, WOLFHEART drive into the two lead singles from Constellation Of The Black Light – Breakwater and The Saw. The former is classically WOLFHEART, mixing the ferocious heaviness with the huge melodies perfectly, promising to be a live favourite. The addition of clean vocals in the chorus is definitely welcome, complimenting Saukkonen’s growls nicely. Though WOLFHEART have been stepping away from the doom metal elements in favour of a more blackened sound, The Saw is a nice throwback to their original sound with a more crushing, mid-tempo riff that mixes with the sombre atmosphere very well.

WOLFHEART step back towards the more blackened style with Forge With Fire, adding some beautiful piano work that really makes the track stand out. Defender stands as one of Constellation Of The Black Light’s highlights, ramping the symphonic elements up to create a dramatic, overwhelming atmosphere, and throughout the song the band perfectly mix the crushing heaviness with their new-found blackened ferocity.

As the record draws to a close, WOLFHEART deliver the one-two hit of Warfare and Valkyrie. By this point in the record, you know what you’re getting – epic melodic death metal, drenched in melancholy with black metal inspired viciousness. Both tracks deliver on all counts, but still feel fresh. Warfare carries a deep intensity with the orchestration and riff work, complimented by the melodic leads in all the right places. The stripped back section around the midway point allows the beautiful leads to shine, before Warfare dives back into catchy, classic melo-death riffing. Bringing Constellation Of The Black Light to a majestic close, Valkyrie really focuses in on the heart-wrenching atmosphere the whole album has harnessed, and brings it home. Stunning lead work and deceptively catchy riffing drive the track towards a beautiful piano section that ends the record in the most fitting fashion.

Production wise, they manage to hit the mark excellently with Constellation Of The Black Light. The record sounds fantastic, without being over-polished. Everything is crisp and clear, with a solid weight behind it, but there is a cold rawness to the sound that works perfectly with the blackened, melancholic vibe of the album. The only potential issue with the production is that Saukkonen’s vocals are a bit lower in the mix than you might expect – it works well with the overall sound of the album, turning the vocals into an additional instrument rather than the main focus, but the lack of clarity in the lyrics may prove to be an issue for listeners who enjoy digging into the lyrics of an album.

Constellation Of The Black Light is a truly phenomenal record, though this will come as no surprise to anyone who has been following WOLFHEART’s progress. Saukkonen has been leading the band from strength to strength with every record, and though last year’s stunning Tyhjyys proved to be a near-flawless offering, Constellation Of The Black Light is on a whole other level. For the entirety of record, WOLFHEART take the listener on a journey of epic proportions, fraught with high-octane aggression and doused in a truly moving aura of melancholy. Constellation Of The Black Light is a truly beautiful album that can move the listener to tears before blasting into classic blackened melo-death ferocity. Artistic, heavy, and flawlessly executed, this record is “Album Of The Year” material.

Rating: 10/10

Constellation Of The Black Light is out now via Napalm Records. 

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