This is the debut album from Doodswens, a black metal band from the Netherlands.
Doodswens play black metal infused with the spirit of the Scandinavian second wave, and delivered with contemporary passion and mood-focused impact. Think a combination of the traditional old-school Darkthrone sound combined with the grim darkness of acts like Xasthur and Gnaw Their Tongues.
The band show their competency across a few different speeds and nightmarish moods. They’re just as capable of crafting immersive atmospheric soundscapes as they are at brutalising with harsh Hellish aggression. Much of the material on Lichtvrees is on the slower side, however, crafting atmosphere and feeling through well-composed frosted journeys into the underworld. The songs revel in their dark atmosphere and grim majesty. The blackened melodies sound apocalyptic, and the fuzzy guitars have a presence all of their own.
The vocals are just as I like them to be; high-pitched, near-static screams that seem to rip reality in two with their intensity. The singer’s infernal needle-sharp voice goes perfectly with the textured darkness of the music, and her performance is compelling.
With a heart of ice and malignant hatred, Doodswens have produced a high quality album that’s really enjoyable. The only downside is the completely out of place and mood-ruining 2-minutes of pointlessness that is Onplaatsbaren. Other than that, Lichtvrees is a compelling and satisfying release.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 