The Pitch: "Wolfheart's music embraces the sheer force and beauty of Finnish nature with fiery passion. The four piece from Lahti labeled its epic and harsh sound “Winter Metal“ which is indeed a thrilling score to nocturnal soul-searching in deep, snowy forests." Via Napalm Records. FFO: Insomnium, Dark Tranquillity, Kalmah
What I Like: Basically, if you take the above bands and throw them into a blender, you get Wolfheart. I'm not super familiar with the band's previous work, but this is their fourth album and it's damn good. They possess the same flair for heroic atmosphere and dense wall of sound production that made albums like Damage Done and Winter's Gate instant classics. The proggy melodeath riffs are endlessly engaging, clearly pulling on the chugging Gothenburg harmonies of In Flames (Defender) alongside the moody, melancholic sound of Katatonia and folk influences of Moonsorrow. Complimented by lush piano and synth arrangements, as well as solid death metal vocals, Constellation Of The Black Light is an epic, evocative journey from start to finish.
Critiques: If I have one minor critique, it's questioning whether opening with the 10+ plus track was the right move. I'm not even sure that it isn't, but I'm just used to saving such things for the end.
The Verdict: I've been working hard on restricting my use of the word "epic" to the 1% of albums that truly deserve it... and I'd argue that this is one of those rare cases. Having not previously heard the name Wolfheart, I went into this release with zero expectations and walked out ready to pre-order. Furthermore, I'll have to make time to investigate their back catalog. A must-listen for all fans of melodic, progressive, and folk-laced death metal.
Flight's Fav's: Breakwater, Warfare, Defender
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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