Finnish band Woland was formed in 2010 with the aim to create a new, different vision on the sickness called humanity. Instead of looking at the past, they concentrate on a future where the human race rises above itself and its religion, and this seen from a specific Nietzschean point of view.
Very soon after their birth, Woland recorded a double-EP, Conquer All & Live Forever, which immediately catapulted their name towards the top of the Finnish (Underground) scene. However, the band focused on the writing process of what would eventually be their debut full length, Hyperion. The recording sessions were mostly done in their home studio. That was a well-considered choice, for Woland didn’t want to be limited or restricted by external influences, and in their home studio, they were able to freely experiment and to try out new techniques.
In mean time, the band was able to perform live on stage all over Europe (from Norway to Croatia), they toured with Scar Symmetry, and recently they were signed by one of the biggest labels from Norway, Indie Recordings, who will release their debut full length album worldwide.
The kind of (Black) Metal Woland perform, with a huge dose of nuance and shade, is of the so-called ‘Post-Black’ kind, seen the dissonant structures and the mechanical / industrial sound. Besides, the band introduces its rather slow yet extremely energetic hymns with lots of changes in speed and structure, some modern riffing, atmospheric keyboard lines, and harsh, thrashing injections. And more than once, Woland experiment with eccentric avant-garde and progressive additions, samples and industrialised intermezzos / intros / outros, orchestral and / or electronic passages, and elements from different other musical genres (not always and necessarily Metal-related; e.g. Chamber Music, Jazz, Flamenco, Classical, Rock, Electronics, Ambient). And I cannot but add this: the ‘Black’ side of the band isn’t but secondary (though not completely inexistent or totally inferior either!).
After a handful of listens, even I do not see the whole album as a coherent piece, and that’s enormously sad. The intentions are bright and ‘hopeful’, but it does not correspond, it does not fit in a vision of post-metallic incorrectness. For sure this band tries to add something unique to the overcrowded scene, and the wide scala on contrasting elements might sound just fine. But it does not.
FYI: the album features guest appearances by e.g. Janica Lönn (Lunar Path, Black Sun Aeon), Mathias Lillmåns (Finntroll, Chthonian, Twilight Moon etc.), and Geir Bratland (think: The Kovenant, Dimmu Borgir, God Seed, Apoptygma Berzerk, Satyricon).