ALBUM REVIEW: Miserere – Wolves Den
The first thing that stands out upon examining Miserere, the second album by Munich, Germany’s WOLVES DEN, is the presence of two former members of epic folk metal superstars EQUILIBRIUM, namely vocalist Helge Stang (here also responsible for the bass) and drummer Manuel Di Camillo. The band was formed in 2013 by Helge and guitarist Mexx, taking on Stefan Botz as second axe for 2015’s debut album Deus Vult and again for the here presented sophomore. The second striking element is the artwork – a truly morbid, dark and unsettling piece by artist Lisa Vinstervan that somehow recalls MARDUK’s Plague Angel, with extra blasphemy. And thirdly, the language used to present the record doesn’t pull any punches either: “Get ready for a hellish ride between melancholy and madness!” we are warned, explaining that “Miserere pukes 8 wrathful chunks of black/death metal at our feet!” with an abundance of terms such as ‘dirt’, ‘aggression’ and ‘hellish’. The seemingly incongruous contradiction between the first point and the other two alone is enough to pique the metal fan’s interest. Epic folk meets black/death? Can this work?
Tides of Hate starts things off in ominous fashion, with marching military drums and threatening bass growing to accommodate the guitars in a gradual build-up that explodes into a total blast-fest that again puts one in mind of the aforementioned Swedish black metal institution at their most savage. Switching back down and out through vicious double-bass pummelling, this is a varied and lethal track that kicks off the proceedings in fine fashion. Tragically, this is where the excitement begins and ends.
Pfad ins Dunkel opens with operatic keys and melancholic guitar lines, setting into an easy, rocking beat only to be dragged back into the darkness by Helge’s fierce black metal rasp. This is already a softer and somewhat weaker track, however, despite Manuel’s pristine, pounding blasts. Third number Der Frost in mir kicks up the melancholy a few notches, with the melodic tremolos sitting at odds with the intense drumming and never quite managing to gel into a coherent package, seemingly unable to decide whether to go all-out sad or furious and instead settling for a rather uncomfortable middle ground. Just as those piercing and ubiquitous tremolos are starting to wear a bit thin, making the listener pine for a decent riff or two, fourth track Nachtmahr compounds the sensation. The presence of two experienced and no doubt gifted guitarists begins to feel like a squandered opportunity by this point, as Mexx and Stefan seem content to strum the high strings along in unison while frequent solos hint at a desire to impress rather than murder the listener.
Thankfully Häresie gets stuck right into a riffy, blasting and screeching black/death assault that seems to partially justify the aggressive imagery and aesthetic surrounding this release. The joy is short-lived, however, as the band drops back into allegedly ‘atmospheric’ territory shortly after the promising beginning. Again, the drumming and vocals are the stars of the show, but there is still very little to get excited about here. The folky beginning of sixth cut Antaios features triumphant keys in an attempt to boost the epic factor, Melancholera comes and goes before closer Nameless Grave dashes any hopes of a retread of the opening track – the only other cut on here with an English title – and fails to grab the seasoned listener’s attention for the last time.
The closest comparison that could be made with WOLVES DEN on second full-length Miserere could be SINSAENUM, another extreme metal project by established musicians of other sub-genres that was originally touted as the most vicious creation ever before it predictably fell flatter than a lead pancake. This is miles away from being “a sinister demon who will soon vomit over mankind!”, and despite the best efforts of the effective vocals and drum work, and the promise built up by the opening track, really has nothing to offer experienced extreme metal fans. It could, however, function as a useful gateway for new listeners looking to bridge the gap between the friendlier territory of Helge and Manuel’s former band and our darkest and most inhospitable realms, offering a taste of what they will find but without scaring them too much. A disappointing reminder of that old chestnut, “don’t believe the hype”.
Rating: 4/10
Miserere is set for release May 15th via Trollzorn Records.
Like WOLVES DEN on Facebook.