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Watain - Trident Wolf Eclipse review




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Reviewer:
7.5

141 users:
6.9
Band: Watain
Album: Trident Wolf Eclipse
Release date: January 2018


01. Nuclear Alchemy
02. Sacred Damnation
03. Teufelsreich
04. Furor Diabolicus
05. A Throne Below
06. Ultra (Pandemoniac)
07. Towards The Sanctuary
08. The Fire Of Power
09. Antikrists Mirakel [bonus]

Trve and kvlt black metal alert: with three magnificent releases under their belt (Casus Luciferi, Sworn To The Dark and Lawless Darkness), the 20-year-old Swedish act of satanolatry - aka Watain - unleash their new demon, Trident Wolf Eclipse.

The band took their sweet time to deliver something new after their 2013 record, which was bashed by many fans who cried out "sell-out". The more experimental approach and the exploration of previously untouched territory in the conflict-ridden The Wild Hunt has been completely abandoned in Trident Wolf Eclipse, which finds Watain displaying their most vicious and angry self.

From the first seconds of "Nuclear Alchemy" the group states the intent to produce music that will sever heads with raw and unstoppable battering. "Sacred Damnation" continues the hellstorm by bombarding the listener with one belligerent riff after another, while "Teufelsreich" has a noticeable Dissection vibe and also strongly reminds of Mayhem's "Life Eternal". If you are looking for a softer, mood-shifting curveball, such as "They Rode On" (which was excellent by the way), I am afraid you will have to look elsewhere. Trident Wolf Eclipse is a 35-minute filthy and hateful black metal disciple.

The album's brevity, uniformity and ferocity make it harder to distinguish individual and differentiating features between the songs after the first listen. But if you spin it a few times, Pelle Forsberg's incendiary riffs become more recognizable and Håkan Jonsson's drumming onslaught can be fully appreciated, with the latter being largely prominent in "Ultra (Pandemoniac)". You are also bound to crawl into a corner after enduring the blackened, time-changing thrashing of "Furor Diabolicus" and Erik Danielsson's visceral voice in the chorus of "Towards The Sanctuary" will be stuck in your head for days.

The production is relatively clean and crisp for black metal standards so that you can test your soundsystem's decibel limits without worrying about having to face a wall of noise; actually, the louder you play it, the better it sounds.

In a nutshell, Trident Wolf Eclipse is short, direct and straight to the point, but it is also Watain playing it as safe as possible. It is aimed at bringing back the fans that jumped ship after The Wild Hunt and, although not reaching the stellar songwriting quality of the inspired trilogy of albums mentioned in the first paragraph, it is a very respectable return back to roots.

"For it has made me a defier of every law
That robs my kind of liberty and grace
I am he that move in the valleys of the damned
And none shall lessen my pace"





Written on 26.01.2018 by Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud!


Comments

Comments: 11   Visited by: 197 users
26.01.2018 - 14:37
VIG
Account deleted
Good review. I have tried many times to get into Watain, but there was never a time when I really loved them. This album didn't do that for me, but it was a good one! I'd give it a 7.0, but that is just my opinion.
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26.01.2018 - 14:49
nikarg

Written by Guest on 26.01.2018 at 14:37

Good review. I have tried many times to get into Watain, but there was never a time when I really loved them. This album didn't do that for me, but it was a good one! I'd give it a 7.0, but that is just my opinion.

7 is fair. I gave it the extra half point because it's short and doesn't have any blatant filler material (apart from the bonus track that I didn't take into account in the rating). I quite like the thrashy elements in the album too.
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26.01.2018 - 16:20
Neoxx07

I liked the last Dark Funeral album better than this one.
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26.01.2018 - 17:30
VIG
Account deleted
Written by Neoxx07 on 26.01.2018 at 16:20

I liked the last Dark Funeral album better than this one.

No, it is not. Dark Funeral sucks major ass.
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26.01.2018 - 18:27
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
I dont like such syle BM what can have bnon exiting pre fix ''raw'' sell outs are better , BM must be atmosferic, a bit melodica nd other bands what follow poetical lyrical way can made better music waht can be esential.
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apos;'
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I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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26.01.2018 - 21:27
Maco
Pvt Funderground
The Wild Hunt was great, this is still very good but not as awesome as their best albums.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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26.01.2018 - 22:35
Rating: 6
musicalkaratekid

I appreciate the return to roots sound Watain were going for with this release, but honestly the album did nothing for me. Run of the mill stuff from a band that I always considered pretty average in the first place (Yes, I have heard those few releases mentioned at the start of this review). Live however, I've heard they deliver the goods.
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27.01.2018 - 06:33
Lord Slothrop

Written by Maco on 26.01.2018 at 21:27

The Wild Hunt was great, this is still very good but not as awesome as their best albums.

I've only heard The Wild Hunt; and while I liked it, there wasn't enough there to make me want to explore their catalogue. I might change my mind at some point though.
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31.01.2018 - 02:27
Rating: 6
flightoficarus
Stamp Tramp
Total middle of the road album. Not BAD, but forgettable.
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Daily underground metal recommendations at Metal Trenches.
Listen to the Trench Talk podcast.
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31.01.2018 - 03:31
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Written by Lord Slothrop on 27.01.2018 at 06:33

Written by Maco on 26.01.2018 at 21:27

The Wild Hunt was great, this is still very good but not as awesome as their best albums.

I've only heard The Wild Hunt; and while I liked it, there wasn't enough there to make me want to explore their catalogue. I might change my mind at some point though.

I strongly suggest you to listen to this song, maybe then you'll want to explore more
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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31.01.2018 - 09:29
Marchosias

I like watains style of black metal. For me the fact that they dont shy away from using trash elements what makes their music distinguish itself in the genre.

The album is sufficiently direct as the review points out. It just slaps you with its strengths.

However where its weaknesses begin is the originality. There is good musicianship, good song writing and personally i like the trash and early black metal influences in the album but its far away from a groundbreakingly original record for Watains carrier.

I'd give it 7.5 ( When i hear trash i instantly add 0.5 points, cant help it !)
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A mediocre metalhead.
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