Waning - Population Control

by Cosmo Lee

When Sweden's Waning released a demo last year (downloadable here), it had already found its vision. Each member was a veteran of other bands; four of five were in the vastly inferior Slaughtercult. Waning, however, must have been the product of discussion, a meeting of the minds. The band's presentation is too singular to have originated otherwise. Its black metal is decidedly forward-looking. Tremolo picking and blastbeats are plentiful, but so are anthemic, almost post-rock melodies, as well as a delightful weightiness.

Shades of Grey (excerpt)
Population Control (excerpt)

Much of Population Control (Eerie Art, 2008) is heavy, hypnotic marches. When blastbeats do invade, they do so by surprise. Some unsettling vocal samples add a slight industrial vibe. This is a precise, calculated effort. The artwork perfectly complements the sound, placing fragments of lyrics, which deal abstractly with human society, and red Rorschach blots over an astral background. It's a classy package. This is exactly what black metal needs - knowledge of its roots, but wielding them free of orthodoxy. Black metal has trumpeted individualism for so long. Now it's time to act accordingly.

Buy:
New Sun Order