June 25th, 2024
Aldorfrea
'The Wretched Congregation'
Aldorfrea's latest EP, 'The Wretched Congregation,' released in 2024, is a testament to the project's ability to blend traditional black metal with innovative atmospheric elements.
The lineup features founder, vocalist, and bassist Cwellerre, who has reunited with black metal guitar virtuoso Simon Smith (Winter’s Mourning/Embalmed) and the exceptionally talented drummer 'Boban' Simon Skirce (Sinister/Melechesh/Vulvathrone).
Together, they deliver five dynamic and harrowing tracks, marking their most energetic and atmospheric release to date. Following their sophomore album 'Dark Fables of the Night' from last Halloween, this EP dives into the eerie, ritualistic events orchestrated by the inhabitants of an abandoned village and the surrounding lands.
The EP feels like it has all the right nods towards traditional black metal, the raw production, the sinister reverb vocals but it also injects some black-'n'-roll (for lack of a better term) which keeps the listeners interests peaked.
From the get go I would recommend this to all those who can appreciate a brand of black metal that dares to deviate from the orthodox doctrine. Imagine if songs like the first track, the EP title track 'The Wretched Congregation' were on the Satyricon albums of the 2000s - The Age of Nero or Now, Diabolical, it would have set those albums apart from the rest in a way more positive and unique manner.
Duskfall Monastery intro reminds me of the raw demos from the early days of Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids, the twin guitars going off on different paths but pointing in the same direction. Some great songwriting sprinlked throughout this EP as evident with this fury of guitar riffs and a barrage of impressive blast beats and various drum fills.
Have a listen to the EP below ->
The general tone of the music is very ominous and menacing. At times, catchy as hell too, especially during the first three tracks, yet that does nothing but hook you more to the riffs that gradually become more dark and sinister and dare I say, more doom like as you hit the final track.
'Forgieten Carcern' comes in as a great midway point of the EP with a slower tempo and a cool bass intro progression which leads us into some atmospheric lead guitar notes which swirl into a chaotic pool of dissonance.
Musicianship is on full display in 'A Slow Death in the Cauldron' which feels like a single for the EP the way it's structured. There is some great melodic lead riffs from the 2 minute mark onwards until the end that should be used more often as I think that
along with parts like the twin guitar riffs in Duskfall Monastery would set this project apart from the rest of the black metal pack in terms of offering something fresh (and grim!)
'The Freshest Meat' ends the EP as an almost 10 minute epic which borderlines on the blackened doom subgenre. Haunting whispers and clockwork type guitar riffs domainate around the 2 minute mark until we hit some fast tremolo picking at the 4 minute mark, upping the ante
while still keeping it harsh and punishing until we reach the end with one final nod to a depressive type melody to end the EP. Best to describe this as aggressive, catchy-yet-intelligent, atmospheric black metal, miss this at your peril!
Check 'em out on bandcamp ->
