WOE - Hope Attrition Review

WOE - Hope Attrition (Vendetta Records)
Release date : March 17, 2017

Woe was formed in 2007 as a black metal solo project of multi-instrumentalist Chris Grigg. After catching the underground’s attention with a strong demo of ugly, raw black metal, the first full-length, A Spell For The Death Of Man, was unleashed in 2008. The album presented the first glimpse of modern Woe: faithful to the traditions established by the black metal classics but a willingness to inject a very American perspective by way of punk and hardcore influences. It found critical acclaim both in the underground and beyond.

Now a four piece band, Woe is composed of Grigg on vocals and guitars, Matt Newton backing vocals and also on the guitars, Grzesiek Czapla on bass, and drummer extraordinaire Lev Weinstein (Krallice, Bloody Panda, Geryon) behind the kit. Their sound has something that is linked to the American Black Metal movement, mostly from the Tri-state area with this bit of YAITW and Krallice. It is a barrier of sound that never let its guard down a minute.

Some naysayers might say that it is hipster crap that the reviewer is a fan of everything Krallice and its member touches, it might be I admit. But, I think that the definition of Black Metal and even post-Black Metal is almost inadequate nowadays. However, Woe is not following the Blackgaze path of Pitchfork darlings Deafheaven but are most into the sandpaper vision of their East Coast almost Dissonant Metal peers of Krallice.

Hope Attrition is well balanced, well edited and almost a no fault. From ‘’Unending Call Of Woe’’ to ‘’Abject In Defeat’’ the aggression is present and it is scrapping and the sound is analog and dynamic. It has a certain homogeneity in the songs and I think that it makes it an even record that may seem a bit one note for the uninitiated but very strong for an enthusiast of this kind of Metal.

The approach to Black Metal is also modern because it lets to the Scandinavians the forests and icy landscapes for the alienation of the urban and industrial scenery of Punk/Hardcore imagery. 

With the release of their second album, Woe are already one of the bands announced for the prestigious Roadburn festival this year. It is not a surprise that the expectations were high for this album and they delivered a tremendous album.

9.0