Translating to ‘Handed Over To The Worms’ this debut full length by Dutch black metallers Bezwering is a fine addition to this year’s seething black metal cauldron. Formed like a phoenix rising from the ashes out the now defunct Wederganger this new proposition is a different beast to the sonic output of Wederganger whereby the riffing is denser and the songs far more deathly. Opening the album is ‘Vredeloos’ where a lingering riff leads into a steadily increasing beat and gradual intensification that is inherently catchy yet acerbically corrosive. Into ‘Nagezeten’ and a borderline crust riff appears with an upbeat tempo that hints at the deathly credentials I’ve suggested before the abrupt surge in speed to near blasted ferocity, as a clean vocal addition is injected that is curious and slightly surprising but works to produce a more charismatic tune.
I did like ‘Rouwstoet’ where a much slower pace is unveiled that manifests as doomy landscape especially with the eerie hook that is dotted onto the mix. Those clean vocals reappear making the song ghoulish and macabre as the tonal quality is very like Big Boss (Root). ‘Uitgeteerd’ continues the theatrical stance of the song writing as an isolated guitar riff pierces the listener before the blasting sortie crashes. The song shifts position for a double bass swathe that is ultra-catchy as those chanting vocals materialise again to great effect but this time take on a croaking grisly tone.
There is a sort of punk like ethos to ‘Terror Terroris’ where the gnarly riff has a melodic like flavour similar to Carpathian Forest in some respects as the pace sticks to a slower more melodic style before the sudden escalation in blasting speed. This continues into the excellent ‘Geen Bloemen Op Mijn Graf’ where the cleaner vocal takes on a sort of operatic style that also works well within the framework of the song as a melancholy hook is scattered through. The horror filled ‘Het Tweede Gezicht’ has that eeriness of character generated by the mood and tension building structure as the song evolves through layers of stripped back riffing that leaves ‘Waanzinkolk’ to conclude this excellent release. The groove infested riff has a slower style but produces massive amounts of melody that you cannot fail to get into. Eventually the track smashes into the blast section where the song hurtles into an almost chaotic fervour before reining in smoothly and magnificently.
This is a curious black metal release made so by the off kilter guitar riffs but also the vocal arrangements so if you fancy something a bit different, that doesn’t fit the norm then Bezwering are definitely worth checking out.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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