DUISTER MAANLICHT: Woud Van De Kwade Geest
Duister Maanlicht
Woud Van De Kwade Geest
(Sneeuwstorm Produkties)
Everyone should study logical fallacies. They are so common in public discourse, and
particularly in debates of political or social issues. One of the most common is the False Choice.
In this fallacy, listeners are told they must choose between A and B, implying there are no
other options all. For instance, “you are either for me or against me.” In actuality, you might
be neither for nor against the speaker, having both agreement and disagreement with what
they are saying. One of the most common false choices in black metal is that it can either be
raw and primitive, or nuanced and atmospheric. Truth be told, it can be a whole host of other
things, and some of them at the same time!
Long-running Dutch black metallers Duister Maanlicht are back with their 7th full-length album,
not including a string of Eps and split release. And they embody the problematic nature of the
false choice. Sure, if you to pinpoint their sound to the uninitiated, they would fall into the
raw/primitive camp. But underneath and interspersed throughout are trebly guitar leads that
are both ominous and melodic at the same time. These guys are playing for their lives, as if that
pack of werewolves that is chasing them down can only be beaten by blastbeats and lightning-
fast riffing. How will this new album compare to the last one I reviewed a couple years ago,
2021’s Influisteringen Van De Duivel?
The first song, “Grauw Is Het Pad Door de Koude” kicks things off and sets the tone for the rest
of the album. It’s super-fast and super dark sounding, yet with a hint of melody overall. The
only complaint is that the drums are way down in the mix, and problem which unfortunately
plagues the rest of the album. Raising them up a bit in the listener’s ear would add even more
intensity to the ominous sounds.
Next up is “Kraaien van de Kluizenaar”, continuing in the fast, ominous and trebly vein. But
wait, there’s more! Enter a tasty riff a couple of minutes in that hearkens back to early 80s
black metal, from back when the genre had more in common with its musical parent, thrash.
“Heidense Zwartkunst” sees the drums just a tiny bit more hear-able, but I still need more. I
haven’t said anything about the vocals yet, but their effectiveness stands out here. It’s a harsh,
mildly high-pitched screech that fits the music incredibly well, and yet I don’t remember
hearing much like it in the past.
For the first time, I’m hearing a little bit more of the low end on “Stilte In de Desolate
Duisternis.” While the vocals at times sound like they’re being shouted from the back of a cave,
that’s not necessarily a bad thing for this genre. As we song on “Kraaien”, we have some tempo
changes and dynamic shifts that give the song a creative edge.
“Handlangers van Het Kwaad” is another breakneck speed tune with melodic leads over the top
of blastbeats, and the album closes with the album’s title track.
Here’s the lowdown: if you like raw, primitive black metal with lots of semi-melodic lead guitars
and blastbeats, you’ll probably love this release. If you don’t like raw, under-produced black
metal, you might still like this as there’s enough of something different to catch one’s attention.
While Woud van de Kwade Geest is not quite as strong as their last album in this reviewer’s
opinion, it is still worth one’s attention.
3/5
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