Marduk – Wormwood (2009)

“Wormwood” is probably one of the most expected Black Metal releases of 2009 and it fully delivers what is expected from Marduk. The album features Black Metal at its most refined state, blasting away since the first song and never letting go.

Marduk’s status as BM legends has been earned by constantly releasing quality albums since their debut album “Dark Endless” back in 92, the band has constantly been evolving refining their style to its current state.

The band’s 12th release is probably one of their best after “Opus Nocturne” and “Those Of The Unlight”, however it’s not 100% brilliant, the band experiments with slower parts and different elements that threw me off when listening to this album, but the rest of the album is still powerful enough to blow people away with the albums speed and violent aural attacks.

The traditional tremolo picking sections are plentiful in this album, but not overdone as most BM releases these days, but they are still enough to give that gritty feeling of BM that we all enjoy. Some of the riffing is slower paced and more elaborate than in other albums, showcasing the maturity the band has achieved over the years.

Mortuus’s vocals are pretty solid and very fitting for the music; the aggressiveness brought by his throat is just what the doctor ordered in terms of BM. The album’s nature is more melodic than aggressive since the band’s current sound is more dynamic and varied than in their earlier days. Experimenting here and there with rhythm changes and other elements the band is constantly pushing the boundaries of BM in a very good way, making for a very interesting album to listen.

The drumming track is very intense and compact and carries the album on its back, creating a whirlwind ride from start to end. Like previously mentioned, Evil’s guitar playing abilities are clearly showcased in this album and show how his style has been evolving through out the years.

“Wormwood” is an album you need to hear a couple of times to fully understand and truly enjoy, but it will hook you down since the first listen, so be assured this is a quality release that will be in the top 10 BM albums of the year guaranteed.

Release: October 13th, 2009

Country: Sweden