Entry 165 - Wolfheart - Constellation of the Black Light

 

Welcome to Xorn's degrees of melodic death metal. The first level - also known as melodeath - is largely just heavy metal infused with NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) melodies with some harsh(ish) vocals. The second is a symbiosis of death metal and melody, they can't exist without each other and they live in harmony (pun intended). The final level is death or brutal death with smidges of melody sprinkled throughout - tiny little hooks here and there that give the mind something to grab onto.

Wolfheart are solidly in the second level of melodic death metal. This music is so infected with melody that it wouldn't be the same band without it. At the same time there is a level of heaviness and brutality to the music and vocals that are simply not found within melodeath.

Nowhere is this more present than in the 10 minute (!!) opener Everlasting Fall. This song has everything: massive open chords, orchestral backings, blast beats driving melodies forward, deep and powerful growls. Quite simply this song slays. It sets the stage for an album that does not let up.

Every of one of the following songs knows exactly what it is: punishing death metal with an incredible knack for melody. It's hard to find this style done as well as it is here. Finland certainly has a pension for making incredible melodic death metal.