There's something decidedly un-terrifying, and almost conventional, about blast beats in 2018. Sure, they're an impressive feat and have the ability to sound unrelenting and just plain evil for a short period of time. But the technique has lost a lot of its luster due to sheer overuse.
Olympia, Washington, black-metal crew Wolvhammer understand this and it's one of the things that makes them so compelling — their focused, mid-tempo riffing still screams "we hate you" and they clearly realize that variance in tempo and approach is the key to keeping things interesting. "Law of the Rope" — which premieres here today with a creepy as fuck video (and will appear on their upcoming fourth LP The Monuments of Ash & Bone) — starts with a blast riff, coming on hard and fast before switching into the familiar Ildjarn beat at half tempo later and then a doom-influenced section that shows the boys know all manner of hatred.
They wear the gear-shifts well, each section seemingly more vitriolic than the last, but all of it decidedly punk, black metal and catchy as hell. It's clear that Wolvhammer are tipping their cap to everyone from Celtic Frost to Cyanide and on, but none of it feels worn in — or worse yet — worn out.
Watch the twisted video for "Law of the Rope" above, which was directed by David Hall/Uneasy Sleeper, and order your copy of The Monuments of Ash & Bone (which is set to drop on May 4th) via Blood Music.
Wolvhammer tour dates with Uada and the Black Moriah:
6/22-23/2018 Hay Camp Brewery – Rapid City, SD @ Stygian Rites Festival
6/23/2018 Hydra Beer Hall – Sioux Falls, SD [no Uada]
6/24/2018 Lee's Liquor Lounge – Minneapolis, MN
6/25/2018 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB
6/26/2018 Vangeli's Tavern – Saskatoon, SK
6/27/2018 The Temple – Edmonton, AB
6/28/2018 Distortion Live – Calgary, AB
6/29/2018 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC
6/30/2018 Studio Seven – Seattle, WA
7/01/2018 Tonic Lounge – Portland, OR
7/02/2018 Opera Metro – Oakland, CA
7/03/2018 Club Bahia – Los Angeles, CA
7/05/2018 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
7/06/2018 The Doll Hut – Anaheim, CA
7/07/2018 You Revolution – Tijuana, MX
7/08/2018 Ables Bar – Ensenada, MX
7/09/2018 Club Red – Phoenix, AZ
7/10/2018 Juggernaut Music – Gallup, NM
7/11/2018 The Classic Tavern – Laredo, TX
7/12/2018 The Guillotine – San Antonio, TX
7/13/2018 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX
7/14/2018 The Concert Pub North – Houston, TX
7/15/2018 Renos Chop Shop – Dallas, TX
7/16/2018 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK
7/20/2018 Melody Inn – Indianapolis, IN*
7/21/2018 Reggies – Chicago, IL*
8/16-19/2018 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Las Vegas, NV @ Psycho Las Vegas [info]*
* w/Doomsday
