After skimming the info about this band named WOE, originated in New Jersey, USA, I noticed that mysterious sounding motto of their stating: "Quietly, Undramatically". This short phrase also describes how this band became an entity of four after originally being a one man show. The funny thing is that this interesting petite phrase is a total opposite to the band's musical patterns. And that brings me to WOE's new album, "Withdrawal", via Candlelight Records. First time for me checking out this notable Black Metal band trying to break the shackles of the genre's tarnished old features of the early 90s into the genesis of a new age of blackish extremity. Since I didn't have the opportunity to experience the band's earlier creations, I wasn't aware that "Withdrawal" will turn out as old school, and unruly, as it came to be. Believe me no problem here as early 90s Black Metal, with all of its bitter ingenuousness and overcast atmospheric nature, had a special magic lashed to the heart of the music. WOE capitalized on the genre's murkiness but also broke away with a few hints of something that seemed progressed, melodic and absorbing. Talk about being quite or non-dramatic, damn such an amazing phraseology.

Right from the first steps through "Withdrawal" I felt the sharp coldness biting me hard with its jagged prongs, somewhat similar to the hammers of darkness of the old Norwegian portents. Basically the second wave of Black Metal is just that kind, frosty, melancholic, fiendish yet also highly energetic. I found WOE to be quite similar, both musically and sound, to very early vividness of EMPEROR and IMMORTAL, yet with their attempts to breach the boundaries; WOE pompously complemented their intensive blizzard driven music with extra melodic countenances of crunchy fast fretting, very few Rockish outputs and even poised clean vocals and even a few lead guitar licks with a little display of soloing. Though there are times when I can't have enough of the supplementary speeding and blast beats mayhem, I enjoyed the mid tempos even more scouring the edges of chaos with great rhythm guitar riffs providing an abundant ambiance with several examples of notable caliber. "This is the End of the Story", "Carried by Waves to Remorseless Shores of the Truth" and "Exhausted", which didn't seem that tiresome even for a bit, shed more light on what I have just described. If you were looking for elegance, turn away because WOE turned back to the genre's roots but with slight twist to make things special than your average Black Metal deliverance.

While WOE were gone hunting for a way to take Black Metal by storm, they remained loyal to the production values of the genre. While reading the info made available to me I noticed that a lot of effort was put to the production, yet the end result, which was creative to an extent, was badly mixed, especially when it comes to the infusing of the vocals and skins. The vocals sunk asunder by the guitars and bass while the skins, while the blast beats plagued the air were barely distinguishable. I guess that it is part of the game of Black Metal, but it doesn't have to be that harsh. Furthermore, the material itself has its own letdowns and dead moments. Through the course of the songs, even the great examples that I presented earlier, there was an over usage of several of the riffs and also a repetitive arrangements that made my eyes shut from time to time, not feeling their channeled sensation, but rather slumbering slightly. No doubt that WOE's material absorbed tantalizing earlier frosts and abided their codex, yet sometimes it was too much and I expected more of their special evolved treats. To close this down, this is raw Black Metal mixed with a few steps to make it more than it is. I salute WOE for willing to perfect the genre and upgrade it to the next level of finesse. I liked the production though the mix seemed way too raw to actually experience the entire set of instruments. This is a recommended release for the fans of the old stuff and the open minded.