WAXWOLF - The Golden Room

WAXWOLF

EP: The Golden Room

Genre: Avante-Garde Death Metal

Release Date: 5th February, 2024

Country: Italy

Label: Independent

Band Links: WEBSITE / BANDCAMP / TWITTER / FACEBOOK

“Frank Zappa meets Tech Death” was the descriptor used by legendary Death Metal drummer Hannes Grossmann for WAXWOLF’s 32 minute mini-album/EP "Our Love" released in 2022. Given he played drums on that release and handled the mixing and mastering as well, he was in a pretty good position to make that judgement! This year, Waxwolf has returned with another mini-album/EP "The Golden Room", with Grossmann handling drums and mixing/mastering duties once again. So, does that bold descriptor hold true for this entry?

Absolutely. And as such, it should be noted front and centre that "The Golden Room" is not for everyone. You won’t be finding traditional song structures here! The three tracks in this 29 minute release, each nearly doubling its predecessor in length, are absolutely packed to the brim with musical experimentation.

The most characteristic feature of WAXWOLF’s style is juxtaposition and contrast, which are utilised in a number of ways. Non-metal instrumentation, eg. chiptune synths, piano, violin, flute & clarinet, are employed as a dominant melodic voice over the top of and alongside traditional metal instrumentation. Unsettling dissonance is contrasted against warm but sombre piano (eg. 2:30-3:15 of ‘This One To Feel Good’). Technical Death Metal riffing and Grossmann’s drumming build in propulsive intensity, then suddenly drop away, yielding to sedate classical instruments (eg. 2:30-4:30 of ‘The Golden Room’).

Some may argue that such moment-to-moment contrasts are jarring and almost academic in design. And in fairness, there may be some truth to that claim. However, as with many things in life, it’s all a matter of perspective and from my perspective, I find it very enjoyable, as it gives the impression of a wild musical ride of unpredictability.

Moreover, dense as "The Golden Room" is, it isn’t a freeform cacophonic mess devoid of any structure or memorability. Each of the songs feature repeated sections giving the listener something to call back to and melodies are repeated on different instruments, often layering on top of each other to build and maximise their impact. Furthermore, these openly avante-garde designs make the more traditional compositional build-ups to a melodic climax (eg. 1:30-3:10 of ‘Door’) even more satisfying.

"The Golden Room" is an ambitious, dense and exciting Extreme Progressive Metal release, whose tight runtime rewards repeat listens. While it may not be for everyone, those who are interested in melodic and structural experimentation in their death metal may find a lot to love in it, as I certainly have.

Written by Lloyd