Monday 2 November 2015

Album Review: WOE (Gothenburg_ - "...It’s Woe Time" - Reviewed by: Nick Yngve

Album review format: Digital stream
Band Name: WOE (from Gothenburg)
Title: It’s Woe Time
Date of release: 2015
Record label: WOE Music Group/Rambo Music
Genre: Sludge Rock/Metal
Website: www.woe.se
Reviewed by: Nick Yngve
Track listing: 1. Numbers, 2. WOE Time, 3. Bad Situation, 4. Pick You Up, 5. Wolfman, 6. All Alone, 7. No Shame, 8. Personal Hell, 9. Poetical Justice, 10. What You Need

WOE Gothenburg is a rock/metal band from Sweden, formed in 2008. So far they have released one EP entitled “Fuck Your Mental Health” in 2012 and here we have the first full length, simply entitled “It’s Woe Time”. Until now they shared the stage with Dark Tranquility (2012) and Death Destruction (2014). They have also toured across Europe three times from 2013 until today.

The band is a blended mix of Rage Against The Machine, Foo Fighters and Black Label Society as they say for themselves and I find it completely accurate!


- Even from the beginning of the album the heavy guitars are making a pretty good impact with your ears. The song “Numbers” is fast and sludgy. Very tight rhythm section and the guitars with enough “dirt” to make you dance along and start drinking!

- Time for some WOE. Yep, you guessed it. The next song is called “WOE Time”. In this one we have a strong RATM feeling regarding the vocals. The “punk” feeling is very intense with the rest of the band keeping the sludge in the proper levels. My mind is intrigued for the rest of the album!


- “Bad Situation” is the title of the third song and here things are changing a bit. The first thing that hit my mind when it started was “2x4” from Metallica’s “Load” album. I don’t believe that I need to further explain how the song is… I mean… WOE!!!! Hahahaha… Up to this moment that I am writing this line, is the best song of the 3 I listened to.


- On to the next one. “Pick You Up” is the title and here we can listen to what Zakk Wylde tought this band. Mid tempo, HEAVY and awesome!!!! The only thing missing is some squeals while riffing, but believe me when I say that this song has NOTHING to be afraid of. In the middle of the song, it turns a bit progressive (don’t worry… not that kind of progressive) and again turns to BLS again always in their own special way!


- As it seems, an album can be very surprising. Remember the previous song that the squeals were missing? Well, here is the thing. I am writing this review while I am actually listening to the album. That means that I actually thought that “Pick You Up” was Zakk’s offspring. I was wrong. This one here, entitled “Wolfman” is the heaviest squealing song of this album… so far at least. KICKS ASS!!!!! Mid tempo once more, with a pentatonic guitar solo (they way it should be that is) and my head is explodiiiiiiing!!!!!


- “All Alone” is the title of the 6th song in this album and we are speeding up a little. The guitar work in the song is a bit dirty (in a good way) and it can keep you moving throughout the song. The refrain for some reason reminded me of Annihilator during the “King of the Kill” era for me that is a good thing for me. Cannot wait to listen to the rest of the album.


- The title of the next song… “No Shame”… Indeed they feel no shame and why should they? Their album so far is AWESOME and kicking! One more heavy song in mid tempo drumming and heavy guitars! Probably the heaviest song so far, especially from the middle of the song to the end of it.
- Let us face our “Personal Hell”… Straight in your face with this song. The more I am going deeper in the album, the more influences I find and what I like with this band, is that they are not copycats. They took their influences and made their own thing. Trust me, it is not an easy thing to do. Here we have some more Annihilator mixed with a bit of Metallica style. In this song they created something so melodic and beautiful. I totally love it!


- “Poetical Justice” is the next one and we are heading towards the end. This is the song that will make you drink… and drink… and remember to drink some more… while destroying cars and fighting with random people because they dared to look at you. I think you get the meaning. Let’s go to the last song of this magnificent album…


- I should have known… “What You Need” is the title of the album closer and here we have maybe the “darkest” song of this album… Once again, we find some more influences, this time coming from Danzig and more specifically from the “III: How the Gods Kill” album… You know, that dark and sinister atmosphere filtered through sludgy and stoner riffs… By the way, the solo of this song is the best in the whole album… Melodic and headbanging!


Ok… This is it… This album, this band… First time I ever listened to it and to them as a band. Didn’t know them, but now I do… And they are one of those bands that you know they kick serious ass and I wanna see them live some day. If only there was a way to bring them in Athens! Well, give it a shot and you will not lose your time. Also check out their 3 video clips from this album for the songs “All Alone”, “It’s WOE Time” and “Poetical Justice”.

8/10 horns




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