Band – Kõdu
Album – Unusta kõik
Country of Origin – Estonia
Genre – Black Metal
Release Date – March 20, 2021
Label – Nigredo Records
Author – Hayduke X
We are proud to present to you today Sügispime, an advance track from Unusta kõik, the debut album of Estonian black metal collective Kõdu. The track attacks the listener with raspy, belligerent wails, dissonant riffs, jazzy drumming, and thundering bass. As the first track on the album, the band shows that they mean business. After a tightly controlled, but more open intro, the walls close in and the aggression ratchets up. Listen for yourself, then drop below the player for my full review.
The promo materials I’ve received for this release describe the album as, among other things, second wave worship. This is certainly a fair assessment, a big part of the story, as the relatively straightforward drive of the album owes a lot to that era of black metal. There is, however, more to the story. For one thing, as I’ve suggested above, the drumming is somewhat jazzy in parts, though the drummer can certainly blast when necessary. The overall rhythm and flow of the album is almost tidal with an alternating push/pull feel to it. The dissonance of the album is also stronger than what I’ve heard in most of the original second wave. The result is a mind-melting and forward thinking album that still pays homage to the masters.
Thematically, the notes tell me the album is in tribute to Estonian culture and history, with particular nods towards the mythology and philosophy unique to that land. Lyrically, the band uses 19th and 20th century Estonian poems, with the connection between man and nature a particular theme.
Unusta kõik hits hard. It’s incredible to think that this is only a debut album, as it is quite an accomplished composition. I’m made to feel quite uneasy at many points on the album, hackles raised. One can hope there is more to come from this young band. In the meantime, strap in – it’s quite a ride!
Biography: Hayduke X has been writing for MoshPitNation since June of 2016. He is also a contributor to The Metal Wanderlust. Prior to joining the MoshPitNation team, Hayduke published reviews on his own blog Rage and Frustration. In addition, he has DJ’ed an online metal radio show of the same name as his blog, written for TOmetal.com, done interviews for Metal Rules, and collaborated with The Art of B Productions to create video interviews with a wide variety of bands.
