Location: Manchester
Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Black metal
Full length: Uncrossing the Keys
Format: Digital, vinyl, CD, cassette
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Release date: October 3, 2025
I’ve heard of numerous bands with foundations steeped in black metal and classic heavy metal. That Wode is one of those bands doesn’t give me apprehension about exploring "Uncrossing the Keys", especially since I read they’re striving to incorporate more melody and complexity.
This album presents an entirely new level of freshness, genre wise. The addition of post-punk, gothic music, goth metal, dark wave and science fiction metal in the vein of Voivod and Vektor gives their sound depth, infusing it with melancholy, pensiveness, mournfulness, menace, dynamism and majesty, broadening their range greatly. The work by James Atkinson and Magnus Lindberg recording, mixing, and mastering, and their experience with noted metal bands, should resonate with listeners of Paradise Lost, The Crown, classic Marduk, Amorphis, Absu, Limbonic Art, Agathodaimon, Samael, Usurper and Rotting Christ; even Mercyful Fate and Iron Maiden.
These influences would normally seem to be distinct from each other; while each song on "Uncrossing the Keys" draws inspiration from various sources, they’re more cohesively intertwined with the darker aspects of Wode's sound. Listening doesn’t only make me feel I’m being taken back to my discovery of second wave black metal; I feel I’m there discovering it all over again.
The ambient qualities of "Uncrossing the Keys" arises from said musicianship, transforming it into something that envelops you without overwhelming or unnecessary embellishments. This significantly adds to the weightiness of the tracks rather than merely augmenting it. It makes listening like touring a haunted attraction complete with performers, props, dark corridors, and unexpected frights; something like the cover art designed by Set33. Or one specific attraction where a woman undergoes a magical transformation into an ape and escapes from the cage confining her.
It's rather fitting to include song titles like "Saturn Shadow", "Phantom" and "Transmutation" as Wode's diversity reflects the concept that all opposites converge, allowing the physical realm to be infused with the phantom world the band creates. The process of mixing and mastering ensures that everything flows seamlessly together, making it sound epic and infinite, particularly where the vocals and keyboards are concerned. If you reside in Europe and wish to experience this live, Wode is presently on tour, with scheduled performances in England, Ireland, and Germany. –Dave Wolff
Lineup:
M. Czerwoni
uk: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, organ
T. Horrocks: Drums, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
D. Shaw: Guitar, backing vocals
E. Troup: Bass guitar
Track list:
1. Two Crossed Keys
2. Under Lanternlight
3. Saturn Shadow
4. Transmutation
5. Prisoner of the Moon
6. Fiery End
7. Lash of the Tyrant
8. Phantom
9. Dashed on the Rocks
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