Beeldenstorm

I don’t have too many Dutch albums in my collection, although I am aware that the Netherlands do have a pretty strong and growing scene. One of the quite young and rising outfits is Verval from Utrecht who hit the scene with their full length debut “Wederkeer” in 2018. Two years later they are back with an EP titled “Beeldenstorm”, consisting of three long tracks and nearly 25 minutes of music. With the two guys behind this band being also part of various other outfits like Laster or Wesenwille you can expect some expertly crafted atmospheric black metal – and this is exactly what you are going to get.

There is a lot going on in the timeframe of the EP so that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve dosed on a much larger quantity. There is a full body of work, moving up and down, back and forth across the annuals of emotive black metal. There is talent, charisma, and enough memorable moments to make this a captivating work. The album’s replay value is unquestionable, and each consecutive spin will make you discover some new details you might have missed before.

The instrumentation is superb, creating a seamless transition from mellow to heavy. Elements of melodic mystique are present in each of the songs, and while there are not so many straight-in-your-face sections the ambient soundscapes and the fantastic atmosphere more than make up for it. Verval are capable of tapping into a wealth of styles and influences in order to create the right kind of mood, presenting some outstanding harmonies that are going to haunt the listener after some listens.

The songwriting shows the experience of the musicians involved, with the music packed with ferocity when needed and real power the likes of which only quality black metal can deliver so well. It’s the execution factor that shows us really what a band is made of, no matter how experienced they are, and Verval have delivered all the goods the make up a great black metal recording. The drumming switches between high speed battering and a steady groove, with the patterns well planned and executed. The howling vocals are urgent, and together with the desperate guitar harmonies they create intense feelings.

The production is absolutely top and does not leave anything to be desired. Clear and crisp, but no too sterile. All the melodic elements are perfectly audible. The cover artwork is also interesting and similar in style to “Wedekeer”, although it feels a bit darker. Not being familiar with said album I cannot judge if this is intentional and reflected in the music. What I can say though is that “Beeldenstorm” is well worth a purchase for collectors of captivating black metal played with a lot of passion for this style.