Wildernessking – The Writing of Gods in the Sand

Posted on 2nd Feb 12 by Jonathan Keane | 1

Pop quiz. Name a metal band from South Africa… You may or may not have swiftly answered that question but the majority of you would have had to ponder it for a moment or maybe even gave up immediately. The point is that South Africa, and specifically Cape Town in this instance, isn’t exactly known for its bustling metal scene, which is why it’s a strange, but wonderful, turn of events to find that Cape Town has produced one of the most enthralling black metal records in some time and sure to be a standout for 2012.

Enter, Wildernessking. Formerly known as Heathens, the four-piece has completely re-invented and rejuvenated themselves with utterly stunning results. The Writing of Gods in the Sand is a heady listen from start to finish, capturing what is sure to be a vital moment in the beginning Wildernessking’s black metal flourishing.

Typical, but by no means prosaic, black metal screeches dominate the din while guitars sear through with relentless tremolo-picking and equal measures of slow, moody and meandering leads like on Discovery.

River opens with a breath-taking, but oddly solemn, guitar lead that eventually descends into another hail of fiery riffs. In fact, The Writing of Gods in the Sand is heavily garnished with thrilling and sleek guitar playing. Guitarists Dylan Viljoen and Jesse Navarre Vos effortlessly sculpt out vast, towering sounds that loom exhilaratingly overhead, and River and the instrumental Reveal encapsulate much of what is great about this record. Surrender meanwhile scales and scales to a beautiful close, exhibiting the contrast of the harsh and serene.

The Writing of Gods in the Sand is an album executed with cerebral precision, every riff, every shriek; just every moment is complementary to one another, working towards an enthralling end product. This has definitely set a high benchmark for black metal for the rest of 2012.

Drop-d Rating: 8/10

Wildernessking

Tags: black metal, Cape Town, Heathens, South Africa, The Writing of Gods in the Sand, Wildernessking