Woods of Ypres – Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light
Posted on 19th Jan 12 by Jonathan Keane | 
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“…Grey Skies & Electric Light may be a hard record to stomach for the more seasoned Woods of Ypres fan, given the circumstances, but Gold’s passing means the quality of the record is all the more affecting…”
Woods of Ypres’ music has always been tinged with sorrow, but never as palpable as now. On December 23rd, it was announced that the band’s founder, guitarist/vocalist and all round leader, David Gold had been killed in a car accident. Amongst the heartfelt tributes, was a feeling of uncertainty as to whether or not the band’s fifth record, due for release in late January, would have to lie in wait. Thankfully no such misfortune has happened and Gold’s legacy lives on in Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light.
When Woods of Ypres signed with Earache Records last year they must surely have known that when the time came to release their first album with the label that it was make or break. The re-release of Woods IV: The Green Album yielded some success and deserved attention for the Ontarian melodic doom metal outfit, and as David Gold himself put it: “we needed to make an album that was not only the best we could do, but the best we’ve ever done,” and that is what has happened. Unfortunately, Gold will not see the fruit of his labour flourish before his eyes because this would have, most definitely, been their ‘make’ record. The band, helmed by Gold and guitarist Joel Violette has delivered the album of their careers.
Dripping in the intense and overt melancholy, all aided by a slick production job, Woods 5 may aim for a mournful opus but it still exudes a rich, cathartic and rather empowering quality, like the alighting riffs of Career Suicide (Is Not Real Suicide), with its towering Type O Negative influence, to open. Woods 5 isn’t quite as long as its predecessor, but at 57 minutes, the record is still heaving in grandiose scope and abject emotion that is the mainstay of Woods of Ypres.
Alternate Ending captures the essence of Woods of Ypres in many regards, with bleeding and introspective lyrics and a taut, sorrowful air perpetrated by palpable and poignant pianos. Lightning & Snow meanwhile churns out more riffs and scathing vocals and Adora Vivos makes for the album’s heaviest track.
David Gold delivers one of his finest vocal performances with rich vocal melodies and harmonies dotted throughout the record, most notably on the bracing Silver. The album is rounded off in stunning fashion with the two part Kiss My Ashes (Goodbye), which begins swiftly with coarse riffs only to slump into passages of touching melancholy and by part two, Woods of Ypres have descended even further into profound, forlorn balladry once again.
Grey Skies & Electric Light may be a hard record to stomach for the more seasoned Woods of Ypres fan, given the circumstances, but Gold’s passing means the quality of the record is all the more affecting and seeing as this is the man’s swansong, then he has bowed out with a wholly impressive oeuvre bearing the Woods of Ypres name.
Drop-d Rating: 8/10
Tags: David Gold, doom metal. Ontario, Earache Records, Grey Skies & Electric Light, Joel Violette, Woods of Ypres