There are a lot of things I love about Metal music, but the kind of intro Wazzara did here with album heart warming “9 Confines“ using tonal chords is just fantastic. The track delivers some kind of intimacy hard to explain. It is like we are getting into the music and befriending everybody that is there as well. Or is it just déjà vu? No, I do not believe so. The sound of the waves plus the bell gave that déjà vu feeling from Black Sabbath‘s debut album, but soon it desappeared as the song grew stronger. From where I am standing, intros in Metal music deserve a deep study as they are too complex and their meaning in the music is so variable and strong. “9 Confines“ relies on Black Metal features plus some ethereal and new age elements that its blend may sound strange to the unadvised fan. It is interesting how Wazzara deal with the repetition elements most Black Metal band do now in order to create a mesmerizing atmosphere. The ethereal and new age elements help a lot as well. In fact, vocals do not use lyrics at all, only some words and chantings mixing clean female voices plus the gutural male voice. I guess, I only guess, this is what are today called post-Metal. My guess.
Ok, then, after this invitation card with “9 Confines“ things go back to normality with “Hollow“ and its strong guitars and pounding slow paced drumming. Here female vocals come a little later than in the previous track and it is not as prominent, I mean, male gutural vocals are prominent what gives the track its Black Metal identity. I will not say Atmospheric Black Metal because today’s bands use a lot this kind of atmosphere. What differs Atmospheric Black Metal songs from Black Metal ones is the intensity of the atmospheres and the moods. That’s what I have been observing. It is not a rule, of course. On the other hand, “Her Ashes Down The River“ takes a very different road. The track is not really at the same page from the rest of the album as the enchanting female vocals from the beginning do tell the fan. There are even moments of clean guitars using full chords giving the track some Rock intent. The points of dissonance are when the male vocals appear here and there. An acid and twisted Psychedelic Rock tune, if I may say. A modern version of Jefferson Airplane “White Rabbit.” Ok, ok, that’s too much I agree. But I had the feeling.
Wazzara deal very well with the desire of adding ancient traditions into their music to give it the ethereal meaning they want as “Indigo Sleep” indicates pretty well. The controversy lies on the blend the band makes. Sometimes it sounds more Black Metal; other times it sounds more twisted and crooked new age; but most of the times a blend of them all. That’s the band’s musical signature and I must say I like it. It’s pungent, it’s different, it’s over the senses.
Wazzara “Arbor” will be independently released on March 13th.
Track Listing:
01. 9 Confines
02. Hollow
03. Her Ashes Down The River
04. Indigo Sleep
05. Dandelion
06. Nova
07. Oceans
08. zessa (reborn)
Watch “9 Confines” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!