Recently, Dutch black metal band Asgrauw released their new album “Façade” via Death Prayer Records. As a fellow Dutch citizen myself, I had to claim this album for review, obviously! “Façade” explores the area between life and death. The unknown and inexplicable, sometimes things are not what they seem. From suspended animation caused by disease to the despair of being buried alive.
Right out of the gate, this is a no-nonsense album. No intro, outro, or intermezzo’s. The opening track “Versplinterd Hout ” instantly sets the tone for the entire album. 28 minutes of pure Dutch black metal! Said track was released as a single in July and I must say, what a great choice. A real banger!
When it comes to the sound, the vocals are definitely in the lead for setting the atmosphere and overall sound of the album. Vocalists ‘Kaos’ and ‘Vaal’ are a good combination of aggressive punk like shouting and ice-cold screams. As far as the mix goes, everything is well-balanced. All instruments have their spot in the mix and sound solid! Special shoutout to that aggressive machine gun sounding snare. A real beast in those blast beats!
Conclusion
Asgrauw – Façade is pure no-nonsense black metal from start to finish. Raw, aggressive, atmospheric and at times melodic. Records like these make me proud to see the Dutch black metal scene going strong as ever!
Personal favorite(s): “Versplinterd Hout”, “Getekend” and “Hernemen” are the winners of this album in my opinion. Great additions to my personal playlist.
