Werewolf of Wysteria

Since its debut, Vargsang´s eponymous mastermind always follows a clearly defined direction. Medium hard black metal is his passion. He and drummer Goatruler concentrate on creating a dense atmosphere, fortunately without involving crappy elements of ambient black metal. Synthesizers are part of the instrumentation in order to emphasize the misanthropic mood, while the guitars glitter with thrilling riffs and rapid sections. The drum performance can be described as mostly simple but effective. Speaking of the drums and putting the focus on the here presented third album of the band, the sound of the snare is a pure catastrophe. Its powerless appearance marks the major flaw of the production. Apart from this shortcoming, the slightly blurry sound does not fail to generate a suitable aura. In view of the fact that the album was recorded in the band´s rehearsal room, I would like to speak of a fairly good result. (A different question is whether it is fair to present a full-length which has not been recorded under professional conditions in a sound studio.)

From my point of view, the nadir of Vargsang´s third output can be quickly identified. The naked and physically abused female corpse in the booklet pisses me off. I do not know which kind of brain has the idea of offering such a picture. Maybe I am wrong, but I always thought that black metal is not a synonym for crime. However, life is too short to be angry about despicable things like this picture. Let´s get back to the music.

As expected, the homogeneous songs do not surprise with any unusual ingredients. The harsh vocals of Vargsang himself sound quite solid and the guitar lines seem to flow endlessly. The comparatively streamlined song material is the reason why the album almost appears like a black opera. It is not overloaded with theatric elements, but each and every tune blends in with the overall picture. Thanks to some well executed tempo variations, the 40 minutes of black art do not lack of dynamism. The dark flair is loosened by relatively melodic solos that deliver fairly harmonious accents. Highlights such as the brutal "Night of the Forlorn Creature" convince with a more or less catchy chorus and rapid guitar attacks that are contrasted by a less aggressive middle part. The following "Crush the Whores" shows, to a large extent, the same compositional pattern. This straightforward frontal assault also belongs to the best pieces. At least this is the case if we do not take into consideration that its lyrics suck.

Multi-instrumentalist Vargsang has a keen sense for malicious harmonies and he knows how to generate a destructive mood. You will not discover very complex song structures, but the authentic approach of the here operating duo deserves praise. Perhaps you like to check out the most attacking piece. The title track takes no prisoners while revealing its strong negative forces. If you enjoy its basic direction, you should think carefully about the buying of this album. It will not enrich your life in a sustainable manner, but it marks a more than solid piece of misanthropic black metal. Only one question remains: what the hell does "Wysteria" mean?