Wothrosch - Hate

There are many ways to explore and shift extremes. A new Greek duo uses the brute and epic magic of black metal in avant-garde, almost progressive post-fields. Wothrosch explore the darkest corners of human existence with brutal vigour. “Hate”the title of their first album, is intended to overwhelm in every respect and is an all-encompassing, capital attack on all the senses.

One of the big highlights only lurks at the end: The duo Niklas Kvartforth from the Swedish Shining was able to win for “Mass”. The veteran of elemental violence feels audibly comfortable in this manic environment and lets the events escalate further and further. However, what Wothrosch masters wonderfully is the setting of precise, pointed caesuras. They always appear when the nerves are stretched to the breaking point and give every descent into hell that certain something. It fits into the picture that after that it’s quite a complete Black Metal escalation with a complex Extreme Metal touch and decomposed string synthetics.

“Tumor” is a rare short episode that is completely spinning and scores because of it or because of it. The Greeks ramp up the madness while incorporating other metallic extremes, also throwing in some Death and Grind. The title track “Odium”, on the other hand, exemplifies the band’s epic qualities, presenting itself almost doomy and clumsy in its pure, guttural malice. Tamed dramaturgy darkens the feeling, in between the thing escalates emphatically.

Wothrosch master this roller coaster of grueling emotions like only a few other bands. The fact that this is actually ‘only’ a debut album fascinates as the playing time progresses. One could think that real veterans are at work here, continuing the thread of Anaal Nathrakh in unpredictable paths. “Odium” wears you down in the best sense of the word and comes across as a statement on the social status quo, on the final demise of all being, on the dulling of human feelings. More hate chunks is not possible.

Rating: 8/10

Available from: 01/13/2023
Available through: Hammerheart Records (SPV)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/wothrosch