Wooden Stake: A Feast of Virgin Souls

For those who aren't familiar with Vanessa Nocera, she's not only a talented guitarist / bassist / vocalist but also the creative force behind at least half a dozen black metal bands. I've followed most of her projects for about three years now and enjoy every one of them. Of all the bands I've heard so far, Howling is my favorite, but the other projects are plenty good. She loves black metal and horror movies and blends them together quite well.

This album develops a concept based on both the legend of Elizabeth Bathory and on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla. I suspect most of our readers have at least a passing sense of both Bathory and Carmilla; for those unfamiliar with them, they are worth checking out, but I can't guarantee that they will bring either comfort or a good night's sleep. As the cover art by Mario Lopez makes clear, this is the stuff of nightmares. For those who love extreme cover art, Lopez's work here is striking, powerful, and shocking. It's also another metal masterpiece by one of the best underground artists on the scene. No, it's not an image you'd see just anywhere, but, as a representation of a horrific scene, one that captures the spirit and concept of this album, it's superb.

Musically, things waver between mid-tempo black metal and some of the most downbeat NWOBHM-inspired metal I've ever heard. Aside from Nocera's vocals and bass, Willie Wardlaw provides the guitars and drums, replacing Wayne Sarantopoulos. I've long known that Nocera delivers wicked vocals, but this album also includes some solid clean vocals. Wardlaw's drums are strong, as are his guitars. Overall, this band is best at establishing an atmosphere of dread, one that brings listeners to the concepts quickly and powerfully. The songwriting is also consistently strong, though there were a few times, especially around the mid-point of the album, when things occasionally dragged. Nevertheless, this is impressive and gutsy underground metal that is well worth your time and attention.

Track Listing:
1. Dead Winter Resurrection
2. Rise from the Bleeding Coffin
3. A Feast of Virgin Souls
4. Alzbeta: The Devil's Bitch
5. Cross-Scalded Flesh
6. Exorcising the Possessed
7. Dragged Through the Rotted Catacombs
8. Hanging from the Inverted Cross
9. 1140 Rue Royale
10. Curse of the Cauldron Countess

Added: July 30th 2015
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2010
Language: english

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