De rode weduwe

More old-school black metal is rampaging through Netherlands thanks to Beenkerver. A solo project of Niels Riethorst, an ex-member of Heidevolk and also active with Plaagdrager, the project released two studio albums, of which 2024’s De rode weduwe is the most recent one. The project’s formula is to unleash conventional, 90’s-sounding black metal akin to Mayhem, Emperor and Dissection, with also the presence of chugging breakdowns turning heavier than genre median due to the lowered D tuning. According to band info, the project hasn’t played live yet, though that’s probably to be expected, considering this album’s released is best suite live than in studio.

The opening title track kicks off with a banshee scream and storming blast-beats with half pastoral, half menacing tremolo riffing over distant, reverb-drenched shrieking vocals. Breng mij haar hoofd is based on slower ballad-like grooves with distorted arpeggio/lead guitar arrangements, its droning E-flat-minor riffs more reminiscent of Dawn and Lord Belial, Vel Over Been sounds like a re-write of Mayhem’s Buried by Time and Dust, while Vergane Rozen is aimed at The Gathering-like gothic metal, due to the presence of guesting female vocals. Haar Wraak Is Prachtig is the most epic cut on the album, featuring both dramatic B-minor strumming derived from Austere and more dissonant riffs in the chorus, and De Biecht Van Een Blinde is a fine, more funereal, droning closer. The physical CD edition features also the whole Twee wolven 2023 EP at the end of the tracklist, which is, quite frankly, an unnecessary addition.

Production is strong despite the evident digital arrangements, featuring rumbling drum percussion with hitting double-bass drumming, roaring guitars with scooped mids and some perceptible bass thundering beneath the arrangements for added muscle. The material is alright, but there are no true highlights. The album works best when experienced as a whole, because every track, despite sharing elements in common, eatures more care in arrangements than inventiveness.