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Ysbrydnos – “The Forest Howls at Dusk” (Repose Records / Undead Serpent, 2022)

Originally written for Black Metal Daily.

I find it hard to not be overwhelmed by today’s Black Metal scene. I am not an old fart, but I am not a young kid that was just dropped, violently, onto the scene. Black Metal has grown on me for the last… over 2 decades. Ah, I am old. Throughout those 2 and something decades I have had the fortune of experiencing several shifts in the scene, multiple bands that injected new sounds, new experiences into “our” sound. Most of them have been perfectly united with the core feeling, the core material that makes Black Metal what he is, as a genre. Have never shown any sort of hate towards all the lads that really took 180 turns and came up with stuff that made Trve Kvlt fans vomit in despair (Liturgy and Deafheaven, hello).

This to show that the genre is, and I have been saying this for years, the most inventive one within the whole Heavy Metal universe, in my opinion of course. But, one thing Black Metal fans / followers adore, is when bands replicate the sound that we have been hearing for years and years. Well, if it is such an inventive genre, why are we hoping for a new version of “Transylvanian Hunger”, just to name one of the pillars of Black Metal?! Well… because we love it. I still find myself “running” after that aesthetic element, that lyrical element, that… I will eat up all that is related to the Medieval universe / subject! I can always find this musical scent in a Medieval inspired Black Metal album. Cliches? Yes, please. Still LOVE a good, haunted house movie, so. Does this give lead me to awful, and painful, music? Yes, it does. Does this stir me away from excellent music? Also. That being said, I am trying to, in 2022, stay more alert to the overall genre, attempting to tap into more, and more, artists and projects.

Today, a lovely sunny day, I came across a release that I had read about. Ysbrydnos, from Wales. Yes, from the UK. And to where does my mind wander when I hear a mention to the UK, and Black Metal?! Medieval tunes. Is this in line with I expected? Let’s… let us see. I have always loved the melodies Black Metal artists from the UK crafted: reminiscent of times of Old, you know? I would not say a modern bard, but you can feel that Folkish melody. This mate here, went for that, but captured a bit of the old Heavy Metal feeling. He did not try to merge Black Metal and Traditional Heavy Metal into one, but he structured his music in a very, very pleasant way. More than that, the addition of “Non-Black Metal” instruments, as the flute. I recall people losing their minds when Taake incorporated Banjo into their music… heresy, I say, heresy. No, amazing. It turned out amazing. And we could go back to the inventive facet of the genre, but no. and we carry on with “The Forest Howls at Dusk”, and even the album’s name is superb, allowing you to almost paint a bloody picture of the geographic location of the artist (not that I see it as an important aspect). I will not go track by track but need to mention the Thrashy slap on the face that “Spectral Hounds of Annwn” gave me, as it started… and we jump into a flute. And this track is based on Welsh mythology, giving it an extra weight, from my perspective at least.

I feel I need more than just the music to completely connect with the work, and I truly love that about Black Metal. The atmospheres, the ambiances, the melodic structures crfated by the musicians, will most likely stand out from a large majority of Black Metal releases. I dare say 2022 will be a really good year for Black Metal! This notion of where to speed up, and where to slow down, is present throughout the whole EP, giving it a very well-balanced flow. I can say it is a complete homage to the 90s, but it holds that very special Melodic Black Metal structure, that I love, and that it stills holds, to this day. Hopefully this will not be over-hyped, and people will enjoy it the way they should, with patience and allowing the music to flow and permit this connection with the listener. I normally do not jump into bandwagons (I am still to pay closer attention to Lamp of Murmur, for example), and keep caution when social media starts saying A or B about X or Y. 

Enjoy the music, enjoy the fact that Black Metal is well alive. Enjoy…


Ysbrydnos Official Bandcamp

Repose Records Official Bandcamp


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