ALBUM REVIEW: Wyrzyny – Kły

Atmospheric black metal can be a tricky one. The careful balance of ingredients required to make the recipe work, usually with the addition of very un-metal elements such as post-rock and shoegaze, often exposes creators to the risk of derision and disqualification on behalf of the corpse-painted ‘true black metal’ legions. Concerns that shouldn’t really bother KŁY.

With all lyrics and song titles being in their native Polish, the band consciously waives a vitally important tool for the establishment of atmosphere among listeners who do not speak the language, instead taking the ALCEST route and letting the music do the talking, while also strengthening the artists’ personal bond with their creation. And what of the music? KŁY use a selection of simple yet effective weapons to get their message across on Wyrzyny, their second full-length outing following 2018’s Szczerzenie. These include elements of the current Polish black metal sound such as dissonant instrumental passages, pained and anguished vocals and a modern, expansive production that enables each instrument to be clearly heard. The more contemplative nature of the music is provided by the aforementioned post-rock and even indie touches. The band makes a point of stressing that the record must be listened to in one go, as the six tracks make up a “coherent story, with an introduction, development and ending,” insisting that “individual tracks do not have the same impact as the album in its entirety”.

Opener Burza (My rozgwiazdy), by far the longest cut on here at just under 12 minutes, takes a while to get started, proving that KŁY aren’t in any hurry. Following a lengthy introduction, the music proper kicks in at the 3:00 mark in true Polish black metal fashion, recalling the likes of FURIA or BLAZE OF PERDITION with lots of blasting, agonised howls and a gorgeous, ubiquitous bass taking care of the actual riffs while atmospheric keys float over the top, adding to the ethereal ambience. We then enter more contemplative territory at the midpoint, with the unnamed vocalist narrating the introduction to a story of, in the band’s own words, “shamanism and the magic of mushrooms, with the poetry of Miron Białoszewski and the forest in the background”.

Nadwołkowyjskiej nocy liczba pojedyńcza is up next, preceded by echoed chanting – a resource that will be repeated throughout the record – maniacal laughter and ominous organ notes that goes on for well beyond the comfort level. The actual music, once it arrives, makes for pleasant and easy listening, with pummelling bass drums making an appearance underneath the clean and melodic guitar lines. Frequent tempo changes keep the listener on their toes, as KŁY refuse to settle on one idea for too long.

Krajobraz jako oko pushes the bass all the way into the spotlight with a tone that musicians throughout the metal spectrum would kill for, taking centre stage while the guitar once again teams up with the keyboard to provide the background for the tireless rhythm section. Fourth track Trójząb kicks off with the sound of running water and the introduction of a new element, namely a female voice that helps create a delicate and peaceful scene, only to be interrupted seconds later with an interesting combination of blast beats and delicate, surging guitar work.

While lyrics are rarely the focal point in extreme metal, the non-Polish-speaking listener can’t help wondering what they are missing as the story unfolds. Whatever is happening in the narration, things cannot be going very well by the time Gwiezdny wiatr comes around, the combination of startling keys and cries of horror painting an unsettling picture. This is a cascading and relentless track, albeit without leaving the realm of the melodic, providing a sense of urgency that seems to propel the listener towards the inevitable conclusion.

Closer Zakorzenienie starts out with shimmering keys and a spoken narration, eventually giving way to an industrial soundscape achieved chiefly through an über-distorted bass and which sounds nothing like the rest of the album, thus ending the album on a highly unexpected and original note.

Wyrzyny by obscure and secretive Polish trio KŁY makes for an interesting listen, skilfully layering delicate post-rock melodies over a solid black metal foundation, thus managing to avoid the pitfall of slipping out of the extreme metal sphere altogether, unlike a number of their sub-genre peers. A very solid effort and one for solitary wanderings through nocturnal forests.

Rating: 8/10

Wyrzyny is set for release May 8th via Pagan Records.