Saturday, March 17, 2018

A Bloody Alteration...

Wykan - Solace (2018)


With their debut EP, this Montreal-based trio kicks things off with a mean groove, leading with “Lahppon Olmmos”, which brandishes a sample of tribal chanting before the guitar, drums, and bass drop into place. Heavy metal noodling on the guitar joins doom-worthy bass and blackened vocal grinds, while the drums bounce heavily without holding too fast to any one of the influences. Though there's plenty of energy all around, the riffs supplied by the guitarist steal the lead focus pretty handily, and despite the aggressive flavoring of the singing, there's a strong current of fun running through it.
“The Gathering” picks up after “Lahppon Olmmos” wraps up its ~7-minute run, moving to a slower pace and gentle melody, drum intensity building up to the bursting point for the metal switch. This is probably the track which most evidences band-leader Jeremy Perkins' background in black metal, with tremulous strumming, sustained passages of tension, and more naked venom than either of its EP-mates. Lastly, there's “Wykan” to serve as the EP's closer and (what with sharing the band's name) offering up something of a mission statement for the group's coming efforts. Like “The Gathering”, it moves from a slow opening to heavy intensity, and the riffs come chugging like a train loaded down with corpses. All told, it's an impressive debut, with enough hooks to catch ears wherever it gets play. So grab yourself a copy, turn it up, and consume some mean doom.
~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Acid Bath, Jupiterian, The Munsens, Vodun, Yanomamo


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