Free of all the hocus pocus and theatrics that surrounds black metal, Australias nauseating black metal scourge with thrashy underpinnings Wölfe roll with the thunder and chase the storm, tagging along to Crust's native thematic tropes to deliver a sermon of human extinction through the gospel of burst and bleeding eardrums.
Spanning no less than three genres: Black, Thrash & Crust their half to this parable of doom lacks not for muscle, having already sifted through the more uglier and sinister elements of its paternal genres, and forcefully bred them to anamorphic and cruel ends; a complete bastardisation and manipulation to the Venom gene pool that fathered all three genres, Wölfe coming out as a very different species altogether. Their diatribe is split across two tracks: the first more kinetic and traditional in the black-thrash hybrid undertaking even if recycling generic trajectories whilst the second is somewhat more caustic and mercurial, but both share the piercing vocal rasping, rawness of presentation and general discharge of sonic filth, culminating in a highly cacophonous and belligerent listening experience not to be taken lightly.
From one branch of the metal-punk hybrids we jump to another by way of Fifteen Dead's enthralling neocrust excursion. Fifteen Dead's meagre titular body count (compared to Death Toll 80k & thousandswilldie) is no means representative of their sonic commitment, crucially equalising the majestically epic with the polluted into one continuous and dynamic form. Their sole track on their half Anti-Theist hooks from the very beginning with its spatial acoustic string work, setting the stage for intrigue followed not long after by more powerful forces that begin to thrive and add great magnitude, smoothly alternating between vibrantly warm, but charged bipolar moods. The band paint an atmosphere astoundingly well, as if personally penning the dirge to humanity, and as someone whose encounters and interest in neocrust are usually a case of misdirection and chance I found myself highly sympathetic to their 5 minute requiem.
Its a solid 7" that showcases in strong terms the polarity in metal-punk mongrels, with Wölfe bringing a breed of vitriol quite unlike any other and Fifteen Dead fusing grandeur with the acrid. The sleeve art when unfolded doubles up as a poster and a screen printed insert both provide greater physical significance to the product. I would have to if left to my own devices I would of likely have brushed aside the release, but am for the better having gone out of my musical shell.
