Release Date: 1st April 2022
Label: Self-released
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal/Depressive Black Metal

Tracklist:
01. Volcano
02. The Swarm
03. Tornado
04. Traum
05. Krank
06. Todeswunsch

Line-up:
Skognatt: Danijel Zambo – Vocals and all instruments and Gerileme – Drums
Wehmut: Johannes Rieß – All instruments

Review by Felin Frost

Rate: 8/10

On 1st April, fellow Bavarians Skognatt and Wehmut’s released a split called, The Swarm/November. In its entirety, this split takes 38 minutes to be travelled. Composed of 6 tracks, the first three are by Skognatt and the last three by Wehmut.

Skognatt has been on the road since 2016 and released four EPs, singles and the full-length, Ancient Wisdom, which has been well accepted by the entire horde. Wehmut, by his turn, was established in 2021, and the thinker behind the project is the multi-instrumentalist Johannes Riess, who has participated in the bands Psychic Torture and Gabriel. Wehmut already released a full-length in the same year, Catharsis.

Gathering forces in the conception of this split EP made both successful. On his side, Skognatt develops his versatile and changeable atmospheric black metal. On the other side comes Wehmut with his desperately beautiful depressive black metal.

I give it a spin in Catharsis because it’s my custom to analyze works by musicians I don’t know yet and/or who are releasing a new album, or as in this case, a split. Skognatt is already a “stamp figure” in my atmospheric metal portfolio, and after listening to Catharsis, I added Wehmut to my list with praise and no remorse.

Without further ado, what do I have to say about this split?

Skognatt, this time, transmutes the style in a darker and more penetrating way. Using sound layers that explore acoustic guitars and more organic drums, alternating raw and fast doses accompanied by Danijel’s hissing and disturbing vocals and opening melancholic and subtle sonic landscapes, makes these three tracks diverse and deep. Simplistically, I could describe this disturbance as a beautiful walk through natural primordial elements full of dangerous traps.

After being tossed around by the Skognatt-created Tornado, I fall straight into a never-ending dream, lulled by the beauty of Wehmut’s songs. As painful as the themes of his lyrics are, they are filled with true feelings that are reinforced by the impeccable sound created by Johannes. I feel like this is the depressive black metal I’ve always been looking for. Wehmut is dedicated to sweeping riffs and melodies that overlap poetically and, in my conception, passionate, safeguarded by solid drums, anguished vocals and well-chosen post-metal elements.

This split achieves its goal. It is well structured and shows similar yet very distinct styles in execution. Together, Skognatt and Wehmut strike an attractive balance. The shrewdness in the approach of lyrical themes, enveloped emphatically and assertively by the instruments and stylistic elements, presents us with a singular sound journey.

CD & Digital Album available here https://skognatt.bandcamp.com/album/the-swarm and here https://wehmutbm.bandcamp.com/album/november

Enjoy and support!

…

FOLLOW SKOGNATT & WEHMUT:
https://www.instagram.com/skognatt/
https://www.facebook.com/Wehmut-128125809450155