Dutch epic extreme metal band Slechtvalk was formed as a solo outfit in 1999 by Shamgar. Following a well-received debut album (unleashed in 2000), a band was formed (including Jesse Vuerbaert – Heidevolk) and recorded the second effort, ‘the war that plagues the lands’ as a well as a split CD with Kekal. The band recorded a further two full-length albums as well as releasing a live DVD and tenth anniversary compilation before successfully crowdfunding this latest work, the epic ‘Where wandering shadows and mists collide’ which was tracked with Lasse Lammert (Gloryhammer, Alestorm, Svartsot). A ten-track beast of a record, it captures the band at the peak of their formidable powers and will appeal to those with a taste for extreme metal tempered with a love of the fantastic.
Opening with the strident declaration of ‘We are’, Slechtvalk make their intentions clear with this bristling opening track. Featuring brutal riffing and guttural screams, there’s power here but also ambition, something that becomes especially obvious on second track ‘Asternas’ which draws form a similar well of invention to Dimmu Borgir. Never sacrificing the extremity, the band still manage to cloak their music in a rich, melodic tapestry that recalls Hans Zimmer’s ethereal scores and it is this that gives the band an epic scope that makes for an engaging listen. In a similar vein, ‘Betrayed’ demonstrates that a song does not to have to be epic in length in order to portray epic vistas and part of the band’s strength is their ability to identify where to pare an idea back do that it leaves the listener always wanting more. However, an album highlight appears in the mid-tempo brutality of ‘march to ruin’ with its war-like theme and harmonised vocals recalling the sound of warriors singing by the flickering firelight on the eve of a great battle. A varied and dynamic track, it demonstrates the range of skill that Slechtvalk have at their disposal, not least in Seraph and Shamgar’s winding guitar work. The first half of the album concludes with ‘nemesis’, a track that emerges from Premnath’s swirling keyboards to batter the listener into submission with a ferocity reminiscent of early Cradle of Filth. As harrowing screams flash across the scorched earth, so the band paint a truly apocalyptic picture.
The second half of the record opens with ‘Rise or fall’, which has a heavy black ‘n’ roll feel to it with its grinding opening riff and pedal-to-the-metal tempo. Another highlight, it’s easy to imagine the mosh pit igniting as the band tear into this one. In contrast, ‘the shrouded grief’ has a regal, black metal vibe with its imperious riffs and dynamic shifts. No less ferocious, ‘Malagh defiled’ once again sees the band pull off that difficult trick of juxtaposing regal solemnity with blistering speed and violence, the juddering beats and ravaged guitars painting the picture of a kingdom in turmoil. The album’s longest effort, ‘wandering shadows’, is also the most darkly atmospheric. Awash with the sound of a monstrous storm, whispered voices slither through the pouring rain and howling wind, whilst the guitar, a lone beacon in the maelstrom, shines out like a lantern into the night. The extended runtime allows the band the space to build the track whilst melodic vocals add newfound depth to the piece. It is a truly mesmerising piece of work and leads perfectly to the albums final track, the short, yet devastating ‘homebound’, a slab of death-infused black metal with relentless guitars and sweeping synths.
From this magnificent release, it’s easy to see why Slechtvalk are held in such high regard. What is harder to understand is why the band haven’t been snapped up by a label given the searing quality of their music, production and artwork. Perhaps the band themselves prefer to remain independent, but it seems a shame that so talented a group of artists should be shorn of the support a label is able to give and music so epic in scope certainly deserves a wide audience. Hugely enjoyable from start to finish, ‘Where wandering shadows and mists collide’ has depth, majesty and power in spades and stands as the band’s strongest, most imperious effort to date. 9
