Amenra – De Toorn/With Fang and Claw (Review)

Amenra are a doom/post-metal band from Belgium and these are their latest couple of releases.

Notables Amenra are releasing two new EPs on the same day. Both are different in style and feel. Although I instinctually can’t help but feel a single release would have been better, the reality is that both offer something different, and I definitely have my preference out the two.

We’ll start with De Torn, which has two songs and a duration of 26 minutes. Continuing directly on from 2021’s De Doorn, this release is essentially an extension of that album.

The opening song is named Heden, which starts with a soundscape of ambient minimalism, building a tense atmosphere that’s foreboding. De Doorn had too much spoken word for my liking, and as feared, Heden has this too. It’s not the end of the world, as it’s relatively sparse, but it does ruin the mood that’s otherwise being nicely built. A shame, but I’m sure this isn’t something that would probably bother most people. At roughly halfway through the spoken word is replaced by clean singing that’s immediately more impactful and suits the music far better. It erupts into atmospheric heaviness for the last few minutes, with the singer’s distinctive harsh vocals cresting atop waves of distortion and subtle melody. The cleans return for the final section too, and it’s a strong way to end.

Next up is De Toorn (Talisman), a song that sets a melancholic tone from the start. Of course, the curse of spoken word strikes again, but it is what it is. Even with this though, it is hard to not get caught up in the song’s accomplished worldbuilding. Like the previous track, it builds softly, an introspective grace that slowly unfolds with sorrowful intensity. Four minutes from the end, it goes full doom, and I love it. The thunderous guitars, underpinned by emotive melody, are oppressive in weight, while the vocals release a cathartic sonic assault. There are even some growls. Good stuff.

The second EP is With Fang and Claw, which also has two songs, and has a duration of 14 minutes. This release looks to Amenra’s beginnings, while still being somewhat of a prelude to the upcoming new album – Mass VII, (which would be the successor of 2017’s masterful Mass VI).

Amenra open with Forlorn, the longest of the two songs. It begins quietly, creating breathing space before the heaviness kicks in, with a sludgy riff that’s impressively captivating. The song’s post-metallic structure is designed to embrace atmospheric depth, while also delivering restrained fury and crushing devastation. Forlorn has a wonderful doom edge that’s arresting, and the entire song is a masterclass in Amenra’s brand of apocalyptic musical tapestry.

We come to a close with Salve Mater, a song that wastes no time in drawing the listener into its arresting orbit. Like its predecessor, the riffs deliver an absorbing array of dark distorted atmospheres, while the anguished vocals rage and tear atop of them. There is texture and nuance, but also massive guitars that threaten to burst out of the speakers. It’s another great track from Amenra.

While I liked De Toorn overall, it should comes as no surprise that I view With Fang and Claw as the superior of the two. It bodes extremely well for Amenra’s upcoming new record, and I eagerly await it. Until then, make sure you check out this talented band’s new pair of EPs.