Style: Instrumental black metal
Primary Emotions/Themes: A lethargic stroll through a sun lit forest during the golden hour
Thoughts: I first heard this mini-album around the time of release. I remember being absolutely blown away by it at the time. Upon repeated listens over the years, I'm not entirely sure why I was so enamored by it the first time I heard it.
Silhouettes... is a lethargic album by black metal standards. The riffs are slow to develop and they dwell on one subject for quite some time before moving on. Even when they do transition from one concept to another, the overall feel of the songs remains largely the same.
All of the staples of black metal are present here. The minor key riffing, blast beats, a keyboard laden intro... they all just feel like they are in no hurry. There is no urgency. It's the musical equivalent to a spirit or firefly wandering around aimlessly. It has no where in particular that is is aiming to go to, but it will get there eventually... wherever "there" is.
While the music does feel lost at points, it is quite atmospheric and evokes quite the eerie soundscape when pressed. This is especially true during the title track. This track utilizes clean guitars and a a bit more of varying tempos than the other two to make itself an easy standout of the three. Even then though, the image of the wandering spirit remains at the forefront of my mind.
Witte Wieven isn't a bad band... I'm just not sure if they are a good back either. They have created an interesting instrumental take on the black metal genre with this fifteen minute opus. Apparently they have a full length out now, I may check that out to see if they have fleshed out their sound some more or if that remains as meandering as this offering.
Written April 12th 2024
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