Probably Smug.

As of late, I have been listening to this album more frequently than normal trying to figure out how to write a review. While this album has a lot of metal aspects, at the same time it is very much not a metal album, nor could it be categorized as noise, or even shoegaze. The closest thing I can come to comparing this work to would be Velvet Cacoon’s 2004 release “Genevieve”. But this is not to say Wrath of the Weak is in any way plagiarizing what they’ve done. This is probably the perfect album to listen to while freezing to death in a blizzard.

I think what impresses me the most, aside from the fact that this is a one man project (and I always find that to be impressive alone), is that he is able to perform this material in a live setting. Being across the country, I haven’t had the opportunity to witness this, but I have a feeling that seeing it performed in person is every bit as abrasive and enveloping as it is in my headphones.

Without an intro track or a slow buildup, the first track, aptly named “The Snowstorm” immediately throws the listener into the pounding noise that will be heard through the length of the disc. However, it’s easy to quickly immerse one’s self with the experience because the writing here was probably never supposed to be about catchy leads, melodic interludes, or anything pleasing. The organized abrasiveness is actually what is most appealing about it. This is to say that many of the songs are rather repetitive in almost a sludge metal sort of way, but the production gives it an almost less obvious appearance and instead chooses to mask its self with contributions from several other styles.

Vocals are always in somewhat of a muted “hiss” which is fairly similar to moments in Behemoth’s music. Buried underneath most of the fuzz and percussion, the consistency and repetition assist the vocals in standing out among the more subtle melodies that come from the guitar.

However, while the repetition is a major portion of appeal, it also may show that there is room for growth and improvement. After a few listens, it is likely that many will either love what they’ve heard, or dislike it. Part of the problem could be due to lack of variety in guitar playing, as the songs begin to blend together and sound the same. While I think this disc was written to be listened to and experienced as a whole, I can’t help but wish to see some occasional surprises. Aside from the final track, the repetition tends to make each song come to a close in a similar manner as it began.

With all of that, I can certainly say that I look forward to the evolution of this project. Wrath of the Weak has several ways to go about things in the future, given the varied elements that probably influenced its initial incarnation. I see this as a great advantage, from an already great start.

You can find more information about Wrath of the Weak, including audio clips here.

I can understand why a lot of musicians these days are moving towards the one-man approach for many of their black metal projects. Obviously this would increase flexibility in the creative process, as well as cut out the arduous process of scheduling practice sessions with any notoriously noncommittal musicians.

Hailing from Virginia, Wormtongue is a fairly new one-man project in the grand scheme of things, forming in 2004. The most recent EP shows promising results, and stretching just over 24 minutes in length, it packs a bit of a punch. With track titles hinting at somewhat broad subjects such as Tolkien and Lovecraftian, the consistency of the disc remains a bit more focused on the presentation, rather than the subject matter.

While the disc is very much black metal, there are several folk guitar sections strewn about which will give the listener a chance to breathe between the moments of dense agression. The transitions between the two styles can sometimes feel a bit heavy handed, though this is also effective in spots such as the final seconds of the fourth track, these moments would likely improve with some adjustments. The abrupt the folk instrumentation feels as raw and primitive as its counterpart, even reminiscent of Satyricon’s early work. There is also a layer of keyboard melody which manages to chime in subtly and assist the already existing melodies when delivering the push towards the end of certain songs.

Although the release is only four tracks long, Wormtongue shows some rather adept work and great potential for things to come.

You can find more information about Wormtongue here.