Polish blackened punk outfit Owls Woods Graves, formed back in 2015 by The Fall and E.V.T. (both ex-Medico Peste, Mgła (live), return with their third studio offering Strix, which, rather appropriately, means owl in Latin.
Owls Woods Graves – Strix
Release Date: Out Now
Words: Jools Green
According to the Roman poet Ovid, Strix [Fasti, Book 6, lines 131–140] is a mythical, sinister creature, appearing in the form of a bird with piercing eyes and curved talons, sucking blood and feeding on human entrails.
The basis of which, I think, makes it highly suited as a title for a Metal-related album.
This latest offering continues lyrically in the same realms as its predecessors, finding inspiration within a broad Black Metal palate of Satanism, the paranormal, especially witches and woods, Anti-Christianity and darkness, but keeps the meanings a little cryptic and esoteric in true Black Metal style.
Musically, Owls Woods Graves continue to have a strong hardcore punk element to their blackened sound. Think “Poison Idea does Black Metal” and you would be in the right area. So, from my perspective anyway, this offers the best of both worlds.
Opening track, They Come Again, emerges out of a filthy wave of black riffs and pummelling drum rhythms. The sound takes a strong d-beat, rich hardcore stance, punctuated with waves of more filthy black riffs, making a powerful opening track that slaps your senses into a fully awake mode.
The Aura Of Knives comes charging at you. It is a powerful and unrelenting driver with more of a blackened feel to the sound, and again, the drums add a strong dominance, which I love. You get some punk “Woah-oh-oh!” backing vocals thrown in to balance against the raw, more blackened vocals.
Moving further into Black Metal territory, The Flag Is Raised delivers an undulating wave of mid-paced cold black riffs alongside harsh vocals that ooze menace. The chanted backing vocals bring the necessary nod to hardcore. In the second half, those riffs are superseded by a more melodic element and some great waves of drum work, ending on a brief final blast of those cold black riffs.
Heading back into hardcore territory for Not Entirely Human, this is a piece that, throughout, harbours a superb repeating groove and a well varied pace. It is a hugely engaging listen that delves into the realms of the supernatural with more superbly catchy drum rhythms towards the latter part of the track.
Anarcho-Occultism is fast, raw, black and brutal to start, opening out to a catchy, varied groove punctuated with great drum patterns and shouty hardcore backing vocals. It is short, sharp and to the point too.
The Cliff Dance takes on a very majestic, black, and cold mood, with slick direction switches, raw shouted vocals, as well as a very dark ebb and build. A strong d-beat dominates much of the drum work, with the vocals developing an insane edge to their shouty delivery towards the close. A hugely enthralling listen.
The next piece, Nightshifts, harbours a dark, dirty, repeating groove that mutates and develops but remains ever present. Hardcore shouts echo in the background, while the vocals build to a zenith before a slight breakdown. The chanting shout of “Nightshifts!” is decidedly anthemic. It is a catchy driver of a track.
You would think that with a title like Black Flame In Our Hearts, you would get a pitch black, “cvlt as hell” Black Metal offering. But this is Owls Woods Graves, who turn everything on its head. So what you actually get is a very anthemic upbeat and decidedly cheery and catchy punk-infused piece with a rugged vocal delivery that has punk attitude, and it’s superb.
Never mind saying no to drugs, kids, the penultimate piece’s title tells you to Say No To Heaven. Humour aside, it’s a fast, filthy and catchy driver that packs a punch. The second half drum work is lavishly copious with a catchy repeating closing chant of “Say No, Say No To Heaven!” Guys, I’m reading you loud and clear on that one.
The final piece, Winged They Come, is the album’s monster at over six minutes duration compared to the two-to-three-minute span of the predecessors. This is another d-beat rich hybrid piece of blackened hardcore with a superb dark haunting repeat. The drive is unrelenting but well varied, the direction shifting slick, and you get a superb emerging wave of blackened riffing in the second half, turning the track darker, ending on a closing crescendo of drum work.
Strix, like its predecessors, is a great listen and a fun listen too. Owls Woods Graves take their music seriously, but there is still a subtle tongue-in-cheek element of fun in there, something else that I really like about the band.
I love every aspect of this album, but in particular the drum work, which is strong and catchy as hell.
Strix, by Owls Woods Graves, is out now via Malignant Voices. It is available as a CD or vinyl in a choice of three colours from Malignant Voices Webshop.
