Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues, the latest release from Canada's Woods of Ypres, might just be the best black metal album released in 2008 so far that most people have yet to hear. The band is signed to little known Krankenhaus Records, and you really have to search to find yourself a copy of this one (hint-make sure you hop on over to our friends at The End Records), but it's well worth the journey. Woods of Ypres combine traditional black metal with folk and symphonic elements, also adding clean melodic vocals to the mix along with your standard harsh shrieks & growls. Considering that this is a three-piece band, the sound is full and rich, complete with crushing, textured guitar work, pummeling blast beats, rumbling bass, and layers of orchestral & symphonic keyboards. The word epic comes to mind when listening to tracks like "Through Chaos And Solitude I Came", "The Northern Cold", and "Your Ontario Town Is A Burial Ground", as the band takes the Norwegian approach of delivering cold and chilling black metal, except in this case the band is singing about the frozen Ontario tundra as opposed to Norway. The overall effect is quite effective, as the music takes you on a desolate journey through ravaging winds and snow capped mountains-you want to bang your head, but instead are swept into this frozen solitude that just lifts you off your feet and carries you away. Woods of Ypres avoids most of the black metal chiches, and changes tempos and moods from song to song. Some purists might not appreciate the abundance of clean vocals here, but those who find bands like Marduk, Gorgoroth, and Dark Funeral a tad over the top, will definitely latch onto this CD immediately.
This is an absolute monster of a CD, and I can't imagine this band not being on every major metal label's wish list right now. Melodic, heavy, progressive, you name it, it's here. If you appreciate the dark, intricate, and progressive nature of bands like Enslaved, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Opeth, you need to check out Deepest Roots and Darkest Blues immediately.
Track Listing
01. The Northern Cold
02. Iron Grudge
03. Your Ontario Town Is A Burial Ground
04. Through Chaos And Solitude I Came
05. Years Of Silence
06. Distractions Of Living Alone
07. Deepest Roots
08. Darkest Blues
09. Thrill Of The Struggle
10. December In Windsor
11. Trillium
12. Song Of Redemption
13. End Of Tradition
14. To Lock Eyes With A Wild Beast
15. Mistakes Artists Make
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