Wiegedood – There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road (Review)

With the ending of the trilogy of De Doden Hebben Het Goed a lot of people thought that maybe this was the end of Wiegedood and they will focus on their main bands (although you have to say, that Wiegedood are far more than just a side project by now). With three albums and one live-album under their belt, they are a firm name within the Black Metal genre. There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road will further cement this position.

With the announcement of the album, Wiegedood promised us a turn into the unexpected and unwelcomed: synths, samples and other unpleasant sounds included. The first single “Nuages” kept up to that promise and even more. It is ferocious, fast and dissolves into a never-ending slow-motion riff. Singer Levy Seynaeve sounds even more unhinged than on the previous albums.

“Now Will Always Be” is a “classic” Wiegedood track and the longest on the album. 8,5 minutes of mantric, Black Metal bliss. The vocal style used here (and also on older tracks like “Prowl“) always reminds me of throat-singing, but maybe this is just me. The following instrumental “Wade” gives the listener a quick, quiet breath. This is, by the way, the only time this album lets the listener get some rest.

Tracks like “Until It Is Not“, “FN SCAR 16” or “Noblesse Oblige Richesse Oblige” show, how Wiegedood have evolved. Instead of painting bleak landscapes as was seen on their previous album covers, they now throw you into aural purgatory and won’t let you out until they are finished. They swept away the repetitive and grinding guitar-riffs and just assault you head on.

Wiegedood condensed their blend of Black Metal. As mentioned before, the songs are shorter and hopelessness is traded in for harshness. Wiegedood stated that this album is not about lying down, it is about standing up. This album is a demonstration of strength.

There’s Always Blood At The End Of The Road is another highlight in Wiegedood‘s strong discography. This record makes you uneasy and uncomfortable and this is meant as a great compliment for the art of Wiegedood.