After reviewing some of Kūka’ilimoku’s releases, a look at its spiritual father’s other projects was, of course, inevitable. Although Kūka’ilimoku is Kūwāha’ilo’s main musical vehicle, he also released a demo under the name Tírad Dûr earlier this year. ‘Fell Light In Windy Cloud’ is the first demo he released under this name and sees the light of day via the Night Of The Palemoon label.
Whereas Kūwāha’ilo brings a minimalist and raw mix of Black Metal and Punk in an imaginative garage setting with Kūka’ilimoku, he ventures into more conventional waters with this project. With Tírad Dûr, Kūwāha’ilo is clearly looking for an equally primitive sound, but one that is also closer to the more usual Raw Black Metal. No Punk influences or other exotic elements this time. However, minimalism is also the chosen approach here and the raw stripped-down Black Metal has similar catchiness. However, the main ingredient is the anger and aggression that the music involves, not necessarily in the more common bursts of extreme speeds, but more in the intensity with which the riffs and vocals are delivered. The same goes for the drums, which are lacking in virtuosity apart from a single fill here and there, but all the more effective in their simplicity. The fury splashes off on all sides. Musical comparisons may be a bit difficult to draw, but the basic barbarism of Ildjarn comes pretty close. But Tírad Dûr sounds a bit smoother, which makes it more accessible for the average underground Black Metal listener. I wouldn’t call it a polished sound, though, but a lot less unorthodox than we’re used to from Kūwāha’ilo.
As with Kūka’ilimoku, Kūwāha’ilo brings his Black Metal with few resources, but with full conviction. That simplicity is also of great value on this first work. ‘Fell Light In Windy Cloud’, in all its sheer primitiveness, is a more than interesting introduction.
