Spectral Wound “Songs of Blood and Mire”

• Songs of Blood and Mire will be released August 23rd through Profound Lore Records

Since the band’s formation in 2015, Canada’s Spectral Wound deliver an onslaught of darkness and death ever since their debut album Terra Nullius in 2015. After the follow up Infernal Decadence, the band would sign to underground black metal label Profound Lore Records. The band made their label debut with their third album A Diabolic Thirst, which received positive reviews from the fans and the band’s popularity would grow. Now three years later, the band would return to the black metal lexicon with the band’s new album Songs of Blood and Mire. Following the success of A Diabolic Thirst and the time of society’s darkest point caused by isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, does Spectral Wound create a record that channels the darkness and evil of today’s society?

Album opener “Fevers and Suffering” opens with a heavily distorted tremolo guitar with cannon like tom hits as the pacing builds up. A classic second wave of black metal riff with a gunshot-like snare hit drives the pulse of the song fast in a blackened thrash sound. Jonah’s high shrieking vocals amongst the blast beats and tremolo guitars is just a sonic assault on the ears. Drummer Illusory just flies all over the kit in break-neck speed, along with commanding double bass amidst the guitarists Patrick & A.A. At over six minutes, the song is layered and structured with unique peaks and valleys, creating an almost theatrical-like pacing that never gets old or predictable. The song is just a powerhouse opener for the album. Setting the stage for a fierce and punishing dive into the bleak and the unknown. “At Wine-Dark Midnight in Mouldering Halls” opens with Illusory’s war like drumming as the rest of the band joins in the war cry as the song is off to the races. Instantly makes you want to headbang along to the riff and the pounding drums. With the reverb-heavy guitars and demanding drumming, the song channels the sadness and darkness in Jonah’s belting vocal shrieking on the track. Spectral Wound has really perfected a black metal sound on this song. It is a hybrid of black metal’s second wave like Immortal and Darkthrone but infused a combination of American black metal acts like Uada, with a dash of thrash elements like Midnight or Necropanther. Creating a sound that is just a perfect amalgamation of blasphemy and potentially my favorite song from the band. The song’s pacing also flies by again for another six-plus minute song. Which when you’re done listening, you instantly want to hit repeat and listen to the band’s intensity all over again with the song.

The album’s lead single “Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal” has an almost classic heavy metal opening in the guitar playing and driving drums. Channeling heavy metal-era Darkthrone, the song has a nice bounce from the drums and guitars, into the punishing double bass section in the breaks. I can picture the pit go crazy during this song when the band plays it live. The song is another fast-paced track and with the high shrieking black metal vocals, the song still carries an almost New Wave of British Heavy Metal sound in the guitar playing. Almost acting like a countermelody to the shrieking of Jonah, and it works. Jonah’s vocals on the track are so unhinged amidst the phlegm-heavy shrieks and growls. The reverb on his vocals on the chorus just add so much punch to his snarly vocals and gave me goosebumps when I first heard it.

“The Horn Marauding” holds nothing back in the opening moments as the band just goes as fast as they can in their playing. Another unhinged vocal performance by Jonah, the song does delve into more atmospheric moments during the song, with some clean guitars peaking through the dark and distorted guitars. Which is a nice touch and gives the track some individuality. The song structure is again back to that nice pacing, where the song keeps the listener’s attention and doesn’t dip or lull. Spectral Wound know how to control the listener with their songs, and it’s done masterfully on this album. Punk-like drumming opens “Less and Less Human, O’ Savage Spirit”. Instantly making you want to fist pump along with the snares as bassist Sam’s bass gurgles lead in the rhythm section of the drums. More midtempo track after the opening, the song has so many layers in its production. From the atmosphere, guitar layering, unrelenting drum reverb and shrieking vocals. It is an amazing track in a good pair of headphones. The four-minute mark with the black metal-esque breakdown section was my favorite part. The tremolo guitars and drumming were so good and then segueing back into the screaming vocals was just performed so good as a nice transitional piece.

“A Coin Upon The Tongue” opens with a blackened thrash like energy with the drums and up-tempo guitars. When the double bass kicks in, the ferocity of the track intensifies and instantly makes you want to bang your head or jump in the pit. The bass slows the pace down and then building drums and rising vocals, the band delivers an almost groove to their version of black metal in the verses section. The shortest song on the album (every song except this one is over six minutes long), the track doesn’t let up or lack any punch in the band’s delivery. Musically, its heavy as hell and even includes a nice guitar solo around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, which works well and fits the thrash/heavy metal energy of the track. Gives off an Immortal vibe with the song for comparison, but a damn good song and the band brings the evil energy on the track. The album’s closer is “Twelve Moons in Hell”. Opening with double bass and tremolo, the band is setting up for one hell of a closing track to an already impressive album. Jonah’s shrieking is almost amplified even more, with him trying to almost screech louder then the already loud guitars he’s competing with. It adds to the anguish in his vocals as he delivers the lyrics. The band closes the album with a strong, powerful, ominous, and unrelenting beast of a song that closes out potentially the band’s best album.

With Songs of Blood and Mire, Spectral Wound delivered a pretty-damn good album. The album had no lulls or skippable tracks, fast paced energy even for six-plus minute long songs and a strong performance from the entire band. As soon as the record ended, I immediately wanted to relisten to it, which I don’t have that with a lot of records I have listened to. This is a band that has truly perfected their sound and delivered a record that I wouldn’t be surprised would land on the Best of 2024 lists for many review sites. DO NOT sleep on this record and check this album out. You will not be disappointed.

SCORE:  5 / 5

You can check out the band’s Bandcamp page for the album HERE and if you want to stream it on the band’s Spotify, you can check out their profile HERE