For many years, the scene from Quebec, Canada, is blooming and shining (un)bright. Délétère, Frostbite, Sombre Héritage, Adultère, Sulfure, Entheos, Forteresse, Trails Of Anguish, Neige Et Noirceur, Csejthe, Nordicwinter, Ordoxe, Janvier, Monarque, Blackwind; it’s just a quick and brief listing of some acts that spook around inside my (beautiful) skull. Within this (almost endless) list, one cannot ignore Wounded Funeral, a project that will celebrate its tenth anniversary next year. It’s an outfit by some Kanibaal, initially conceived as solo-project ‘under the influence of Primal Force and Savage Vengeful Spirits’, and nowadays existing with the assistance of (studio / live) musicians, who are ‘spitting the blood of the victims right in your face’.
Wounded Funeral is also known as the ‘horde of Wendigo’, which does refer to the mythological monster that dwells within the icy North-American woods. This creature was a formerly human cannibal, which explains the ‘artist name’ of band leader Kanibaal, of course. But then again, this article will not deal with legends from native American origin, yet with Skaalp, the third full-length studio-album by this act.
This specific album was written and recorded by Kanibaal, with aid on drums by Myrdynn, known from e.g. Nälzer, Frostbite, Strigampire or Orphique, amongst others. The physical release (courtesy of Satanath Records in collaboration with Australis Records and Futhark Records) comes with a four-page booklet, yet above all with truly amazing cover artwork, created by Kanibaal himself. The album clocks about thirty-eight minutes and deals with ancient legends and myths rooted in horrifying spheres.
Skaalp is a monumental sonic assault, which finely combines intensity and force at the one hand, and melody plus elegance at the other. Once again, the album basically offers fast-driven and powerful material. Fiery guitars and harmonious bass-lines, erupting drums and grim, gruesome vocals characterize the basement of these epics. The better time, it’s fast up to very fast, yet it does include some blasting eruptions too, as well as quite some decelerations. It’s a good thing that the severe approach sort of gets lowered in speed, while still maintaining that oppressive and heinous attitude. Moreover, the permanent change in speed (and structure) goes amazingly organic; there are no artificial breaks of exaggerated tempo-changes, for the fluent, natural constructions have been written (and performed) with eye for detail and coherence.
The production is of a very high level: clean and well-balanced, while adding a specific unpolished rawness at the end. All percussions, rhythm and bass guitars are clearly audible, and the lead guitars, solos or vocals do not overrule the supportive instrumentation. I do not know who took care of the studio duties, but he (or she) (or it, or them, or []) did an excellent job. Despite the devastating dominion, the well-elaborated mix surely is a surplus!
Also the additional extra’s, like the subtle use of keyboards and acoustic guitars, as well as some samples / field recordings, comes with a mostly natural flair. And indeed, it does add majesty and genius on top of the already satisfying individual hymns. And even though it’s done with subtlety, I have to mention the fine range of vocal escapades, with related yet differing timbres of screams and grunts, as well as some cleaner voices, shamanic howls and choir-like chants. A piece like Wiindigookaanzhimowin (indeed) is an example of out-of-the-box-thinking, for being a perfect example of Ritual / Shamanistic Ambient Industrial Music, suddenly ‘interrupting’ the violent blackened bellicosity.
Or, in short: Wounded Funeral’s Skaalp is an extremely fine piece of Black Metal, balancing in between tradition and progression, offering thirty-eight minutes of grim yet intriguing aural braveness…
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat378-wounded-funeral-skaalp-2024