Few hours ago, the talented, renowned Finish Metal band Wolfheart released its fourth full length album Constellation of the Black Light. The album is released via Napalm Records, and it contains seven originals. The tracklist of the album is as the following:
- Everlasting Fall
- Breakwater
- The Saw
- Forge with Fire
- Defender
- Warfare
- Valkyrie
So let’s go!
Actually, the album is an impressive, artistic piece of art. You can trace that through the catchy, alerting tunes throughout the tracks. The intro of the first track Everlasting Fall is like an instrumental exposition for a story or a journey.
So calm, so attractive guitar tunes backed with few atmospheric sounds! The sounds are like “WELCOME TO THE LANDS OF THE NORTH”. In my point of view, Wolfheart is excellent in transforming the cold, white, wild nature of the northern lands. And YES, TESTING the North is the main musical theme in the music.
For example, as we are still talking about Everlasting Fall, the dynamic, active movements of the guitars and drums dramatize the glory of Finland and the heritage of the Viking.
The presence of a well-composed and well-mixed orchestration back the epic, narrative mood of the music. You can trace the falling snow, you can smell the coldness, you can hear the breaths of the tragic fall.
Moving to Breakwater! It is a faster-tempo track; the sounds are more groovy, and dynamic. The riffs are darker as well. What’s really unique in this track are backing-vocals lines, they were like echoes, like foreshadowing. The wandering between slow-tempo parts and faster one gives you the shifts between different stories or different phases! One word to describe the solo, it is KILLING solo!
The Saw is my favourite one. I like its sneaking intro, it gives you the impression of “be ready, the storm is coming”. Actually, it comes with highly dynamic, guitar tunes; they are like listening thieves. The clear, appeared keynotes, with acoustic guitar parts back the richness of the track. I don’t know, but the Orchestration work reminds me of Dimmu Borgir orchestration work, and keys structure.
Forge with Fire is an angry track. High guitars and rhythmic key sounds. It reflects the real matter of conflict.
It is like a song for conflict, for man-nature conflict. I don’t know why I imagined an old man fights against sea storms and high destructive waves. If you listened to the track while reading my words, you will get it.
The Forge with Fire mood is somehow close to Defender. It is one of the best solos performed through the album. While Warfare is more darkened, faster, blackened and the melodies are arranged well with the screams. The tempo is so fast, especially when it is backed with terrifying horrific atmospheric/ambient sounds. In the middle, you will enjoy the combination of the melodic guitar riff with the acoustic/atmospheric background. It is like portraying one of the legendary Viking wars.
Finally, Valkyrie. I like its active, energetic mood. The tunes of the music give you the real image of Finland, the beauty of it, the cruelty of the winters there; the solo is so cold, scorching and mournful.
You can trace in the final part of the track that the sounds of keys gradually become higher, and the track fades out with clear, clean keys tunes with ambient touches as background, which is really smart.
To sum up, it is one of the best artistic pieces I’ve ever listened to and I can’t wait for sharing my thoughts with Wolfheart members. But anyway, if you need to feel the tragic cold, listen to the real anger, crawling wolves of the north, and see the colours of blue, green of aurora, listen to this album.
Wolfheart: Facebook
Release Year: 2018
Label: Napalm Records
Category: Album
Country: Finland
Reviewed by Rana Atef
