A Pilgrimage to Nowhere

Age of the Wolf

From their EPK, "In May 2023, the band is set to release their sophomore album […]
Age of the Wolf - A Pilgrimage to Nowhere album cover

From their EPK, "In May 2023, the band is set to release their sophomore album titled "A Pilgrimage to Nowhere." The band dwells into embracing a much more raw sound, the new album tells the story main character from the split." The album has eight songs, and "The Searing Eye" is the first. Thick bass notes rumble in the opening, with easy drums and clean guitars. When the main riff drops, it's lean, mean, and nasty, and the vocals are searingly harsh. The clean vocals are an interesting addition, as the song grows increasingly dissonant.

"Thundering Epochs" begins with a meaty riff and a hasty pace. The harsh vocals are particularly snarly in this partially groovy piece with powerful and commanding riffs. "Onward to Penumbra" has a heavy, dissonant sound with some subtle meter shifts along the way. "Penumbra" means "the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object." So, onward towards the shadows, if you will. "Doomhex" begins with clean guitars and whispers hanging in the air. Are you going insane? When the main riff drops, it's a beast, plowing into the earth like a meteorite from the sky.

"A Multiplex of Casualties" features some synth notes in the opening, that are eerie, and it quickly leads to "Nexus Exitium (Pyrophylaciorum)." The first thing I notice is the odd meter they use in the song, followed by the deep dissonance in the bass and guitars. The vocals are bloody and raged, and the lead guitar work plays very well with the sound in the song. "Conjuration of the Obsidian Colossus" is another deeply dissonant song. The semi-clean vocals add another layer of filth to this song, which is already as muddy as a well digger's ass. The drums have an increasing presence in this song as well.

The lengthy "The Phantom Electric" closes the album. Some spacey synths open the song, with the steady rumble of bass guitar. There is a slow build to the melancholy and hopeless sound. This is where the Doom element shine, so to speak, and the tones grow slowly angrier as the song moves along. The ending is a cacophony of pure disgust. Overall, this was an excellent slab of Doom Metal. The combination of heavy dissonance, with the filth of a vast swamp, and horrid harsh vocals paint a picture of hopelessness that will turn your heart black. The band is very good at imparting these feelings in the music on "A Pilgrimage to Nowhere."

8 / 10

Excellent

Songwriting

8

Musicianship

8

Memorability

8

Production

8
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"A Pilgrimage to Nowhere" Track-listing:

1. The Searing Eye
2. Thundering Epochs
3. Onward to Penumbra
4. Doomhex
5. A Multiplicity of Causalities
6. Nexus Exitium (Pyrophylaciorum)
7. Conjuration of the Obsidian Colossus
8. The Phantom Electric

Age of the Wolf Lineup:

Christopher de Haan - Guitars, Vocals
Jorge Camacho - Bass, Vocals
Gabriel Ortiz - Drums, Vocals, Synths
J.C. Zuñiga - Guitars, Vocals, Synths

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