Die derwaert gaen en keeren niet

This is one of those times when I can rightfully say that I still remember when their first demo hit my doormat. Some 20 years ago I received Moerasghesomp directly from this band that was just starting out and appealed to my taste for obscure, strictly non-commercial metal - preferably glazed with a bit of corpsepaint. In retrospect it was a typical first demo and perhaps that’s why I didn’t particularly remember Walpurgisnacht as a band to be reckoned with. Imagine my surprise when I finally gave their debut full-length Die Derwaert Gaen En Keeren Niet a listen and discovered some rather sophisticated music.

The summary of Walpurgisnacht's music would be "black metal with a pagan touch". The now long-dissolved band clearly harbored some talented songwriters: the music is quite varied, with strong melodies and a good balance between slower and faster tempos. Within the Netherlands, Walpurgisnacht had connections to bands like Cirith Gorgor and Fluisterwoud, but sounded not as aggressive as the former and not as morbid as the latter. That doesn't mean that there's no "edge" to this album though. There's some intricate riffing going on in various songs, and especially the bass has a pleasantly prominent role, actually playing melodies and countermelodies every so often - quite uncommon in black metal. It adds some welcome extra spice to (already very decent) songs like Vanden Doolenden Ridder, De Kluizenaar and Verschroeide Verlatenheid.

A core characteristic of Walpurgisnacht lies in their lyrics, which recount old Dutch folk tales from their native area in the south of the country. Of course it’s not particularly unique in metal to sing about historic subjects, but nonetheless this concept still sets Walpurgisnacht apart in their particular subgenre - which, after all, was originally based on (attempts at) maximum brutality and evilness. The fact that multiple songs are written in old-style Dutch makes it extra interesting. I honestly couldn't tell if they did it 100% historically or grammatically correct, but it does add something to the stories told.

While some of the members' other (or later) bands have existed longer and/or become better known, Walpurgisnacht were never "big" by a long shot and appear to be all but forgotten nowadays. Fortunately, their music remains - and it's well worth listening to.