Review BEZWERING ‘Dodenkroning’

Bezwering are one of the more recent black metal bands from The Netherlands. Formed in 2018, the guys have delivered their debut album in 2020 with ‘Aan de wormen overgelvered’ (engl. ‘Surrendered to the Worms’) and here comes the not at all pre-Christmas sound of ‘Dodenkroning’ (engl. ‘Crowning of the Dead’).

The quintet from Gelderland does not compromise this time and focuses on raging black metal with shrill sounds. Nagging vocals are just as much in the foreground as fast-as-an-arrow riff attacks, which demand a lot from the listener. In this context, ‘Nijd’ should be mentioned, which was also equipped with a few clean vocal moments.

Clean vocals are even more extensively in the spotlight on ‘Ontaarding ‘. The song loses nothing of its vicious darkness, but does without the nagging vocal element and fascinates with its hypnotic rhythm.

By using such variables, Bezwering manage to give their black metal driven sound some variety. This is definitely an advantage as the band doesn’t get lost in the frenzy of speed, but rather uses twists to give the album some surprising moments again and again.

‘Dodenkroning’ is pure black metal and has nothing to do with the well-known Dutch party spirit. Here is the dark side of humanity and Germanic mythology in the center and if you are already tired of the everywhere resounding Christmas carols, Bezwering offer a musical alternative from the kingdom of darkness.