Voodus is one of those bands that managed to convince after releasing only one album, thanks to the quality of the music and the dedication of the band members. Following the release of Into the Wild in 2018, they have established themselves as the creators of an outstanding occult and melancholic black metal deeply rooted in the essence of the mid ’90s Swedish underground. Voodus‘s approach to black metal springs from the same seeds Dissection and Watain have planted years ago, only they took it even further, brilliantly mixing those influential vibes with their own blood, sweat, and tears.
The news of a new Voodus record hit me about a month ago and you can imagine my surprise when I discovered the promo in my mailbox. Even though it’s been recorded quite some time ago, it took a while for this second album, Emanating Sparks, to see the light of day. That will happen very soon, as the physical copies will come out on the 28th of February AB, released and distributed in various formats (vinyl, digipak and tape) by the excellent Shadow Records / Regain Records.
This sophomore release is shorter (7 songs and only 44 minutes) and maybe rawer than its predecessor, but one can instantly recognize Voodus‘s unmistakable trademark from the very first notes of the opening track, the beautiful yet mournful instrumental Harbinger of Death. The band has perfected a way of enhancing their music with lots of dramatic parts, thus subjecting you, the listener, to immerse yourself in the emotions that are contained within (the second part of The Scorned is the best example). The remaining tracks are pure bliss to the ears of the gifted, as they blend the melody of the sorrowful guitars with the viciousness of the ice cold riffs and frenzied blast beats, creating a monumental piece of black metal in its purest and simplest form.
Emanating Sparks is a spiritual, melancholic and aggressive record, created in the purest Voodus tradition. All these 3 elements combined give birth to a huge, black vortex of chaotic energies which absorbs and devours the listener from start to finish. Voodus march on the same desolate path as before, only this time they take a bolder approach in exploring their roots and influences. They are not afraid to pay their respects to Watain (from the Sworn to the Dark era) on songs like The Scorned or Hieros Gamos, to Dissection (on the title track or Below and Beyond) or to classical heavy metal in riffs and imagery and execution. The album’s overall sound maybe be modern, but the ideas and the music are imbued in an old school vibe which reminds of a glorious past.
For the album finale Voodus takes you to a tragic and desolate resting place, Where the Whispering Wind Blows. Lasting for a bit over 12 minutes, this is the longest and the most intense track of the album, capturing the whole essence of the record in just one take. It begins with some melancholic acoustic guitar chords, only to explode into a barrage of blast beats and sorrowful riffs. The grand finale is reached on the last 4 minutes of the song, when the tempo suddenly cools down and the whispering winds can be clearly heard. On an almost funereal crescendo, depressive guitars pave the way for a mournful piano and an angelic female voice to slowly walk you towards the end…of life? When listening to this beautiful and tragic ending, the first thing that comes to mind is No Dreams Breed in Breathless Sleep. Absolutely fantastic!!
Letting go: this is THE feeling I get each time I listen to Voodus, and their new album Emanating Sparks makes no exception. There is a strong sense of duality in the music Voodus creates, as it weaves and binds together dark, sinister and menacing atmospheres with mystical, stirring melodies and haunting passages. The final result is an ode to the nightside and its forbidden mysteries, wrapped in a blackened shroud of diabolic melancholia, appealing to all those out there in search of deliverance and occult bliss. This is definitely one of the most beautiful albums black metal has ever seen.
VOODUS – Emanating Sparks Track list:
1. Harbinger of Death
2. Emanating Sparks
3. The Call of the Abysmal Deep
4. The Scorned
5. Below and Beyond
6. Hieros Gamos
7. Where the Whispering Wind Blows
CONTACT:
www.facebook.com/voodus666
www.shadowrecords.se
www.regainrecords.se
www.facebook.com/shadowrecords.se
www.facebook.com/regainrecords.se
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