Wooden Veins - Imploding Waves

Wooden Veins – Imploding Waves
Release Date: 23rd June 2023
Label: Ardua Music
Bandcamp
Genre: Doom, Dark Metal, Melodic Doom Metal, Atmospheric, Progressive.
FFO: Countless Skies, Seeming Emptiness, Omnerod, Mourning Sun, Porcupine Tree, Mastodon.
Review By: Mark Young

So, what we have is a collection that leans into the more melodic and subtle side of metal, and they absolutely nail it. We’ve seen some releases this year that combine the cleans and melodic approach before ripping into the death or black metal vocals, but here they don’t need the dark or gritty vocals, such is the power on display here. Tearing Seas is a great example of it being heavy without being bludgeoned over the head. The command of music here is spot on, and they have got such a keen eye on this one, it should be on a million playlists. The Dreamer is another example of this, as it ebbs and flows with this almost calming influence until they open up, it’s just quality stuff. I’m trying to think of another band that is similar to them, and I pull up at Countless Skies and Omnerod as having a similar vibe.

L’apell du Vide / Skies presents a one-two punch where they ease you in and then take you on a journey with them, vocals soaring against a driving and controlled beat. It has that emotional grab to it, and they keep that going right through it. It’s not overwrought, it’s completely measured and built with precision, as is the case with the whole album. Ganymede has an epic sense of space, worthy of its name, evoking a journey to the stars. Final track, Calling decides it’s time to heavy up proceedings, giving a darker tint and a final push towards closing out what is a five-star album.

It’s a mark of this album that the songs themselves just build and build on each other, and you can easily sit and listen to it in one go. There is no feeling of repetition anywhere in it, and you come away from it having taken an incredible journey due to the feeling of how expansive it is, and is definitely one of the albums of the year so far. Stunning.