Review: Wode “Burn In Many Mirrors” [20 Buck Spin]

Blackened melodic thrash of the aggressively atmospheric variety is served with aplomb in just over 39 minutes on Burn in Many Mirrors from Manchester’s Wode.

The album oozes character and mood whilst keeping one foot firmly in 80s thrash whilst referencing so many other genres it gives nods to. I always make a point of celebrating when we can hear the bass in this line of music, and I’ll do so here – the bass has a strangely calming influence on some tracks and kicks you in the teeth in others, which is pretty typical from anything coming out of Manchester. The guitar licks on offer fit perfectly with the tracks but are sometimes a little too quiet to get your ears around. The Blend of scratchy chords backing an eerie solo sounds lush on Serpent’s Coil, the slow and gloomy arpeggios opening Fire In The Hills reminds you of a damp Moors Sunday evening before launching at you with demonic vocals and riffs, the galloping drums on Sulphuric Glow nicely set up the urgency of the rest of the track, Vanish Beneath begins with a moody horroresque guitar lick George A. Romero would have put to good use.

Some of the chord progressions may sound a little tired to some, but then they are easily masked by the sheer intensity of the record, which is thrashed out at 100mph for the majority. The synth intro to closer Streams of Rapture would normally seem out of place, but considering the vast array of influences the band has, it seems fitting that they could make something so unfamiliar to the rest of the album work well.

Even purists and metal snobs that don’t normally appreciate/humour/indulge black metal (like me) will love this album – expect to see it in 2021’s best album lists of many a metalzines.

Release date: April 2, 2021

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