Whorethorn – Split 2009
Whorethorn is the creation of Malphas. Hailing from Manchester in England and active since 2005 they’ve had six releases to the name already, three of them from this year! A full length came out through Salute Records at the beginning of the year (2009) followed by two demos.
I’d heard the songs on Whorethorn’s myspace before and enjoyed them but never really gave them more than a passing listen. That has now changed having had time to digest the contents of this latest release, a split EP with fellow countrymen Wojna.
When I played it the first time I had to bang the headphones on the desk to check they were working properly as the sound jumps from left to right for the first twenty seconds. I get the impression Whorethorn enjoys playing with your head. The opening track begins with a depressive style riff which got me wondering if they had disposed of the ultra raw style used before but it soon slips into a much more sinister tone with a nice subtle change in key.
‘F.Y.G’ really kicks the EP and Whorethhorn’s true potential into gear though as it piles out of the speakers in fully armoured necrotic glory. The riffing is laced with a razor sharp savageness and Malphas unleashes some of his most blood curdling and impressive vocals to date.
In fact throughout all four songs the vocals are some of the best I have witnessed in a long time. The atmosphere of agony and wrath they purvey is both unreal and impressive, as if he recorded it as a bunch of plague infected rats were chewing through the very centre of his bollocks!
‘The Antithesis Of Matter’ builds upon the previous track and showcases just how creative Malphas can be. Not just with the rawness of the sound but also in the structure of his songs.
The crowning glory though has to be the final track: ‘The Awakening of Vulfarru’ which is a nine minute long incantation of grimness and builds even further on the songs before. I have no idea what or who Vulfarru is, and even a search on the all-knowing Wikipedia failed to return a result, but I imagine it is the god of eternal slumber. True to it’s title this song would unquestionably wake the fucker up!
Although it appears on the 2009 demo ‘Venomous Manifestation Of Detest’ it incorporates many of the elements that make Whorethorn’s music so addictive. There’s a bit of everything here; fast harshness, manic undead vocals and even some mid-tempo catchy riffage. It rises in intensity towards the end and fades out in a fierce flurry.
This is not easy listening and will appeal only to those who like super harsh, underproduced Black Metal. Initially I thought that it must have been recorded inside a giant roll of tin foil but as the sign of a good release this EP took several listens to get into it and appreciate fully. After that you realise that there is a richness and depth to it that can only come from production that is unsoiled by a big budget. Something that is all too often absent from raw Black Metal are audible bass lines. So the inclusion of these here adds even further to the quality of the sound.
This split is officially released on 1st Spetember 2009 but you can get it now from Grim Being Records (link below). This is one of those gems of the underground that will probably only gain recognition in years to come as you play it to your kids. Hopefully this review will help that not to happen as this is a must for the real fans and collectors of true underground Black Metal and it demands your full support.
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Whorethorns albums sold out..though sound was underproduced I wont complain..after few listens im possessed literally(laugh)very nice..harsh and dark.
yeah – it takes a few listens to get used to it but its quality in my opinion
I like the severity of Whorethorn’s sound. When under-produced Black Metal is done right (like this), it’s almost like you’re listening to the band playing live at a gig or rehearsal. All the more reason to turn the volume up. Good stuff, especially ‘The Awakening of Vulfarru’.