ALBUM REVIEW: Yarost’ I Proshchenie – Wowod

At least at a fleeting glance, post-metal and blackened hardcore can seem pretty far removed from one another. The former tends to be slow and ponderous, with a focus on dynamics and gradually building atmosphere. The latter is often far more chaotic and unhinged, tearing from abrasive idea to abrasive idea at stomach-churning pace. That said, there are definitely some commonalities between the two genres. For example, both often share a sheer, punishing heaviness. As well as this, both tend to make for pretty bleak and desolate listening – normally in a good way! Crucially, it’s these two genres, and the ground between them, that perhaps best categorise the Saint Petersburg-based quintet WOWOD.

Yarost’ I Proshchenie is the band’s second full-length album. It follows 2018’s Zemlya, and for the most part carries on in a similar vein. Much like that record, and unsurprisingly given the mix of genres in question, this album is earth-shatteringly heavy. It comprises seven tracks and 41 minutes, and gives listeners practically zero respite throughout.

The album gets off to a particularly ominous start with first track Rekviem. The song opens with eerie synths which are gradually joined by massive drums and a driving bassline for an industrial, sci-fi-esque feel. The build continues over the next five minutes or so before the full band come in to devastating effect. Here, sludgy guitars, guttural vocals and crushing drums combine to an almost suffocating level. On top of this, synths and textures keep the intensely atmospheric feel going. There are even some more melodic touches from the vocals as the song goes on, but there’s no getting away from the fact that this is some seriously oppressive stuff. Clocking in at over 11 minutes, it makes for a towering, daunting opener to a record which doesn’t really let up from there.

Where Rekviem was a slow, methodical crusher, Tanec Yarosti which follows is an all-out vicious assault. Full to the brim with blackened blast-beats and D-beat-led hardcore, it makes for a neck-breaker of a left turn from its predecessor. The track clocks in at under two minutes, and may well be the most straight-up violent WOWOD have ever sounded – which is saying a lot for a band like this. After this, third track Proshchenie sees the band return to slower, more post-metal fare again. This one evokes the likes of CULT OF LUNA and ISIS, and again features touches of melody which may come as a surprise to some.

From here, its fair to say that the album starts to fall into a bit of a pattern. Fourth track Zhazhda picks up the pace again, and at this point there is a sense that WOWOD are going for slow song, fast song, slow song, and so on. That said, Zhazhda is still an interesting piece. Whilst the drums tear along like a blackened hardcore track, the guitars and bass move at a more glacial pace for the most part. It’s a creative choice, even though the pace of the drumming means it doesn’t quite shake the album’s ‘slow-fast-slow’ feel.

Whether its a bit of a flip-flopper or not, there is still a decent flow to the record. It also helps that there’s no serious dip in quality. Fifth track Chornaya Zemlya makes for a definite highlight. It’s another dynamic and utterly crushing piece, with some of the most spleen-bustingly abrasive vocals of the entire record. These close out the track more or less alone, and the effect is spine-tinglingly intense. Next, after a perhaps predictable return to more blistering fare on Zov Tysyachi Nozhey, the album closes on another high. With more titanic post-metal, and more melody than we’ve heard anywhere else, Top’ makes for an epic grand finale to a consistently ambitious record.

Yarost’ I Proshchenie may be a bit bewildering, overwhelming even, but it also manages to stay interesting. Granted, it probably couldn’t have gotten away with being much longer – it is pretty relentless! – but this is still a solidly executed idea from a band who you can’t fault for a lack of vision. Most of all, the prospect of WOWOD honing their crushing craft even further in the years to come is definitely an exciting one.

Rating: 7/10

Yarost’ I Proshchenie is set for release on January 29th via Church Road Records.

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