Info
- Band(s): Concrete Winds
- Label(s): Sepulchral Voice Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl, Cassette, CD
- Release Year: 2024
- Review Date: August 31, 2024
- Author(s): Dzor
The loss of Vorum at the end of 2010s was a bit of a blow to many fans of underground Death Metal as the Finnish act had been one of the biggest promises at the time – delivering absolutely merciless Extreme Metal. Luckily, it did not take long for that vision to resurface in the name of a new band, Concrete Winds. Losing absolutely no time, their debut ‘Primitive Force’ was a punch in the gut with their incisive and razor-sharp take on the genre that was equal parts devastating and incredibly addictive. This was followed by ‘Nerve Butcherer’ in 2021 that similarly held us in an aural headlock and the duo have once again shattered all expectations with their 2024 self-titled album.
Describing Concrete Wind’s style of metal is one that is deeply embedded to the primordial ooze of both Death and Black Metal. It crosses the path between the two at the stage where both genres were perfectly intertwined and were united by one ethos – to deliver uncompromising sonic fury and pushing the limits of extremity. The duo behind the project waste absolutely no time with fancy openers or interludes or anything of the kind. There is only one real objective: pummel the listener to oblivion through absolute chaos and impurity – essentially in line with the early works of legendary bands like Necrovore and Morbid Angel, with even some hints of War Metal touches ala Conqueror. Concrete Winds sound like all these bands and yet completely different at the same time as their long musical tenure has given them the ability to capture the wild and adventurous feeling of early Black and Death Metal while making it surprisingly catchy and engaging.
None of the songs on ‘Concrete Winds’ ever surpass the 2 or 3 minute mark and the whole duration of the record stands at just 25 minutes, which makes it surprising given how much keeps happening throughout the course of the album. The songs may be short, but the songwriting chops of the duo are evident in the way that each song has so much happening in such a small period. One moment you are being treated to swirling guitar riffs that feel like being caught in a maelstrom and then suddenly into a rapid fire guitar solo that sounds like it’s completely decimating the whammy bar. Snuck within the tracks are these grooves that add another layer of dynamism to the general chaos exhibited. The danger of writing music with this degree of intensity is that the music can sort of blur within each other, but at no point during the course of the record does the band give you a chance to entertain this or to even rest. If this is your first experience with them, you may actually feel disoriented and will need more than one listen to digest all the miniscule details that have been neatly crammed into this package.
While their formula has remained somewhat static compared to the last two albums, what makes this self-titled truly stand out is the production job that was delivered by Rorysound studios. Having revisited the debut and Nerve Butcherer, while both are insanely good records in their own regard, it feels as if the mix here has really enhanced the tenacity behind the music and brought the surprisingly intricate guitar work to the forefront. It speaks of a band that is not afraid to get into stale debates about whether it’s better to go for “rawer” or “cleaner” production, but one that is conductive to delivering the most visceral experience for the listener.
We have been blessed in recent years to have a new breed of bands that are reviving the early sounds of the 80s Death/Black movement before each respective genre codified their sounds. These names include acts such as Ascended Dead, Omegavortex and Black Curse to name a few. Concrete Winds contribute to this with their own unique brand of this and straddling the line perfectly between orthodoxy and modernity. This is not an album for your average Death or Black Metal fan, but rather for those who are looking an experience that really challenges our understanding of either genre. An absolute must and Concrete Winds’s best offering to date.
Concrete Winds
- Country: Finland
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal, Grindcore
- Links: Facebook, Bandcamp, Spotify
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Sepulchral Voice Records
- Country: Germany
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Bandcamp
