Façade

The year is an even number, which means we are to receive a new full length release from Dutch black metallers Asgrauw. Album number five goes by the name of ‘Façade’, and sees an expanded offering of haunting symphonics deployed to supplement what is at times an abrasively aggressive take on frantically melodic black metal. Intellectually we may not be much further advanced than their previous offering ‘IJsval’, but the degree to which Asgrauw have stepped up every aspect of their endeavour makes this a categorically superior release in every way.

A combination of worthy speed thrills and heightened melodrama gives ‘Façade’ its wings. The riffs are restless and many, packed tightly together in condensed units of melodic information, but enough space and light is allowed to creep through the cracks to allow the listener to effectively digest and retain thematic material before it is dispensed with and the piece moves on.

A wash of classically melodic black metal riffing makes up the centrepiece of this album, underpinned by audibly thundering basslines, and powerful yet oddly organic drums. Although speed is the name of the game here, with a plethora of tight blast-beats deployed across the album, Asgrauw drop the tempo when it counts, pulling things back from the brink of monotonous intensity with well placed drops to half-time or triumphalist marching segments.

Voices trade blows between typical black metal vocalisations and passionately clean wails of aggression and despair more fitting of a hardcore punk setting. Placed in this most epic of contexts this stylistic choice works however, and serves to raise the intensity of each piece in its entirety as a militaristic urgency grabs hold of the listener, commanding their attention.

Light symphonics are deployed as a welcome backdrop of etherealism to contrast with the foregrounded frenetic energy. Despite largely following the guitars and only offering the most minimal of complimentary harmonies, they are weaved in such a way as to bind these tracks together, giving them practical cohesion and poetic longevity. Despite its overt intensity, ‘Façade’ never becomes truly overwhelming for all the dense clusters of riffs and ideas. Moods, keys, and tempos are manipulated in simple yet effective ways to bolster the artistic and emotive impact of each piece.

This forces us to conclude that Asgrauw are indeed growing into a sophisticated entity of modern black metal with a distinctive identity. It may be taking them a little longer to get there than some artists. But a slow burn maturity is still preferable to no discernible growth at all, and in that regard these Dutch black metallers are certainly playing the long game.

Originally published at Hate Mediations