Let me start off with a bit of history first. In 2015 in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands a group of musicians got together and started a new band, which they baptised as RISE OF THE WOOD. And yes, if you are of a dirty mind, that could be exactly why this name was chosen. Since then, they gave us a demo “Rise” in 2015, and an album “First Seed” (the R-rated theme continues) in 2017. Since then, they released some singles, an EP (“Sleep” in 2023) and now, in 2025 it is time for their second cumming called “Discharge”(might as well keep up the naughty references). These guys have been getting together to make Heavy Metal with Melodic Undertones and even a bit of Stoner Rock mixed in for the good order. As I haven’t heard anything before this “Discharge” I can’t really comment at how much more experienced they have become in their releases, so I’ll just concentrate by putting my fingers in the right position to get a satisfying result at the end of this reviewing session.

What I do hear on “Discharge” once I really have a good listen is that RISE OF THE WOOD is a band that is very comfortable with the music they make, that they are a group of musicians that have been practicing quite a lot and have found out what their strengths and weaknesses are. Thus, giving them the possibility to concentrate on the former and therefore try and avoid the latter. And it has worked, because the familiarity of it all is staggering. It is like I’ve heard it all before, but not in a way that I feel this is rehashed in any way or form. No, RISE OF THE WOOD is making my brain and ears realise that even though what I am hearing might sound familiar, it is something new. And exciting, as the band isn’t shying away from any adventure. They have a way of adding some unexpected elements, noises or breaks into their brand of Metal, making this “Discharge” quite a successful one. As for the how good the songs are, well, let’s just say that nothing available here has me chomping at the bits. Oon the contrary, I feel that RISE OF THE WOOD is quite capable of writing good songs as well as recording them in such a way that they sound good when they have fulfilled their “Discharge”.