While there was an explosion of Dutch black metal throughout the 2010s, Terzij de Horde’s foundations stretch back earlier than that as they began under the name Liar Liar Cross on Fire in 2007. After some EP’s and splits, they unleashed the multifaceted Self in 2015 which explored periods of introspective calm and brighter moments alongside roaring black metal. Like many of their fellow countrymen, this was black metal with a considerable number of other influences woven in seamlessly, and I found myself checking every so often in the following years if there was a follow-up on the horizon. It has taken quite some time for this second full-length to appear and with it comes some noticeable changes, as In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy offers a shorter listen yet proves to be even denser and harsher than its predecessor. It’s the type of release that requires some extended time to get the most out of, as there’s a lot to discover in its layers of sound, but those who choose to do so will find this to be an album that sticks with them.
Self had its fair share of pummeling moments, but it’s clear right from the opening notes of “Cheiron” that you’re in for an even darker and aggressive listen this time around. This feels appropriate given the imagery of a firefighter staring on a raging inferno on the album cover, and the instrumentation certainly scorches throughout this shorter opener. After an extended period of blasting Terzij de Horde slows things down and lets the earthier bass tone take over for a period, letting the listener breathe only slightly before the maelstrom comes roaring back in. The transitions throughout the album are fluid and may just catch you off guard the first time through, and this remains true even as the track lengths sprawl outwards towards the eleven- and thirteen-minute mark. Although In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy is significantly shorter than its predecessor, it feels even denser and there are more details to discover throughout the two longer pieces. Both the title track and “Precipice” utilize a bit more of black metal’s traditional qualities, offering up powerful bass lines and jagged guitar work that seems to dance around this foundation like flames, but there are also periods of respite that bring in shimmering melodies and periods of calm. Like post rock/metal, the way the songs build up here reach some staggering peaks, but they twist and turn to achieve that more than once rather than coming through as singularly focused. The title track offers up everything that draws me into this type of black metal, as the way the guitar leads seem to soar over the recording gives off a very triumphant and powerful sound, while “Precipice” spends a bit more time brooding and establishing a dark and desolate atmosphere. Admittedly it did take a few listens for “Cheiron” and “Precipice” to click for me, as the title track has the most immediate hooks, but once it did I found myself coming back regularly. I do think that the ending seems a bit abrupt though, as even though this final song is just under fourteen minutes the way it winds down seems to be hinting at more and leaves those final moments feeling a bit underwhelming.
One element of Dutch black metal that ties some of these bands together is how harsh the vocal work is. This is true throughout In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy, as the opening shriek from Joost Vervoort is so ear piercing that it wouldn’t sound out of place on any of Laster’s records. He doesn’t stick with this same pitch for the entire album, but his screams do remain around the higher end of the spectrum and cut through the layers of instrumentation with ease. I can detect some of the raw energy of earlier screamo which brings some immediate differences to Terzij de Horde’s sound compared to some of the other black metal out there. There are also some periods where lower growls are thrown into the mix, and with the songs being written in a way that spaces out each verse this keeps the performance razor sharp and focused throughout. It’s also worth mentioning how well balanced the mix is, as vocals this high pitched could easily overwhelm the rest of the band but that isn’t the case here and the abrasiveness complements the material rather than hurting it.
Terzij de Horde’s second full-length has been a long time in the making, and they’ve brought a renewed fire and more aggressive approach with it. There are still somber passages and periods of respite from the attack, but they’re even shorter and the material seems more focused on a maelstrom of jagged bass riffs and ever-changing guitar that hit as hard as possible. It does seem to fizzle out a bit at the end and be hinting at even more still to come, but it’s impressive just how dense these songs are, and the compact nature of the album makes it easy to dive in again and again. Hopefully there is more on the horizon and the wait will be a bit less next time, as I’m excited to see how Terzij de Horde continues to transform. In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy is available from Consouling Sounds and Tartarus Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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