Wederganger/Laster – Split (Review)

Wederganger and Laster both play black metal and are both from the Netherlands. They have teamed up for this very tasty split.

Wederganger contribute one song, Klaroenen Van de Dood, lasting almost 15 minutes. They’ve been featured on this site before with their début album Halfvergaan Ontwaakt, which was an enjoyable listen that fused orthodox black metal with epic, folk influences.

On this split the band show their predilection for Darkthrone/Satyricon-styled grooves that combine with more atmospheric elements, so that sometimes you can really feel the biting cold winds in some of the band’s riffs.

The singer’s orthodox croaks hit the right mark, while the cleans are strongly performed with a bit of a theatrical edge to their delivery. More subtle cleans are also used in the background to enhance the mood of the song.

This is a very enjoyable track that works well for being chopped into several distinct movements that each have their own feeling. The band work their way through the playing time with professional focus and the song makes the right noises in the right places, so to speak.

There are some almost experimental parts to this track, in addition to the mid-paced grooves and blasting darkness, and overall the entire thing is a very pleasing listen.

I think that Wederganger have improved on the promise displayed on their first album, and hopefully Klaroenen Van de Dood is indicative of what we’ll hear from them in the future.

And now we move on to Laster. Their form of black metal, as espoused by their début album De Verste Verte Is Hier, is raw, underground, and epic in length and scope. As such, it’s appropriate that their part of the split is the longer of the two at almost 18 minutes in length.

This is scathing and malevolent, played with both atmosphere and malice. Like a howling daemon unleashed on poor, damned souls, Laster set to work with the confidence of a mastercrafter secure in his work.

The vocals are needle-thin and seem designed to lacerate the listener. The music is just as sharp and the song, Vederlicht Verraad, is pleasingly cut from the same cloth as their début album, only even more finely developed.

Reeking of plagued riffs and blackened melodies, the song twists and turns down darkened labyrinths like a swift predator that’s sure of its every step.

Laster know how to create malevolent atmospheres no matter whether they’re playing as fast as Hell or slower and more reflective. The slower, even more atmospheric parts are accentuated by background cleans that really ramp up the atmosphere. Whatever part of the song they’re playing, it’s always emotive and full of raging darkness.

This is a great quality split from two very impressive bands. I’m honestly not sure which side I prefer, as they are both quite different even though they’re ostensibly playing the same parent style. Either way, you should definitely get your hands on this.