It has been a hectic two years for Dutch Melodic Black Metal duo Walg, and this month saw the release of ‘III’, their third full length album in as many years. Dutch Black Metal label Zwaertgevegt have put ‘III’ out on cassette. ‘Wanneer we toegeven…’ acts as the intro into the album and steadily builds both anticipation and a sense of dread, before Walg break out the big guns ‘Daar waar we komen om te sterven’; a track that features surging passages of intensive drumming and nerve wracking guitar leads, created in such a way that the track oscillates back and forth between flat out aggression and more thought provoking melodies. The vocals too are unsettled and ravenous, morphing from growled shouts to monastic chants that bring to mind some of Dimmu Borgir’s work. What really makes Walg’s work stand out though is the guitar rhythms; cold, bleak and with a hint of malice, they have a very traditional Black Metal flow to them but are performed superbly. And that isn’t all Walg offers in that department either, as they are also as adept when it comes to calming acoustic passages that temper their intensive raging style.
I really enjoy Walg’s style and approach to Black Metal. Some people prefer a lo-fi or dirty style, and I can have those moments too. However, I love it when a band has a sound that gives off a big budget vibe; clear crisp productions, a bombastic tone to the drumming and huge flowing grandiose guitar leads. All of that mixed in with some wonderful songcraft sums up ‘III’ to a tee. For points of reference Walg has a huge Enslaved / Primordial influence, and the intricacy and texture of Walg’s work very much matches the high levels set by those bands. My personal favourite track is ‘Geselberg’, a slower, more rhythmically intensive track with a soaring harmonic backdrop that sits in juxtaposition with the harsher tones from the vocalist and from behind the kit, which again contrasts well with the cleaner, more chanted vocal style. ‘III’ is a wonderfully melodic album that reveals more of itself with every listen!
