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ALBUM REVIEW: Metamorphosis – Ward XVI

Want to hear one of the most offbeat releases of the year? Well say hello to WARD XVI. Metamorphosis is their second full-length and it’s not so much a rock album as a horror movie turned into music. It’s the story of Psychoberrie, a thankfully fictional serial killer locked up inside Whittingham Asylum and her journey from sweet-natured infant to murderous, dead-eyed adult. Child abuse, violence and mental trauma all get put under the microscope and it’s an extremely difficult, albeit engaging listen. It’s not one to put on at a party unless you really, really mean it but as the nights draw in and the seasons change, it’ll make a suitably haunting accompaniment to this year’s Halloween.

Sonically, it’s all over the place. WARD XVI have thrown elements of doom, prog and even fairground music into the mix, but this chaotic approach works in their favour. They’re hard to pin down but have a similar vibe to the recent OCEANS OF SLUMBER record. They’re more theatrical and have less death metal up their sleeves, but they possess a similar skill in making rooms feel smaller and shadows longer. They’re also happy to take their time and let things unfold gradually. These songs are methodical and grim, subtly wrapping the listener in a shroud of suffocating darkness.

After a short-spoken word intro, things kick off with The Cradle Song. It’s an unusual opener, a mid-paced eight-minute track with some spellbinding vocals and deep, thudding guitar riffs. The sound of a baby crying while a music box plays in the background is deeply unsettling and it gives the overwhelming impression that things are about to go horribly wrong. Mr Babadook turns the pace up a notch and features a distinctly catchy chorus, although it takes a while to get there. For the first third of the track, you could easily mistake it for a ballad.

Things get seriously weird with Daisy Chains though. On paper, an alt-rock oompah track with a theme of beating up children sounds like a terrible idea, but strangely, it works. This carries on into Broken Toys, which is best described as “Teutonic ska played by psychopaths.” Take enough drugs and you could even skank to this. It’s probably what being inside Harley Quinn’s head feels like.

Imago on the other hand is a more straight-forward rocker. It’s a loud mid-tempo cut that explodes into life about halfway through, while Burn The Witch makes for a grandiose and sinister epic. Catch Me If You Can is the moment the entire circus goes berserk and clowns attack the audience, while Shadows ends things on a sombre note.
So yes, it’s bleak. It’s melodramatic. It’s the kind of album that can turn a glorious summer day into an oppressive, mist-shrouded nightmare. It’s not fun, but it is an ambitious and well-crafted hour of overwrought Gothic angst. Not everyone is going to like this but WARD XVI have ‘cult heroes’ written all over them.

Rating: 8/10

Metamorphosis is out now via Metal Rocka Recordings.

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