A few years back, while wondering through out the wonderful world of the underground music scene online I came across a track from a young Swiss group that blew me away. Despite being almost unknown at the time, that track became some sort of daily therapy for almost everything negative…
The track in question was “Entranced by the Wolfshook” from some guys named Bölzer, which quickly became something so tremendous, and frighteningly captivating that was spread around by me like a virus everywhere I went. Strangely or not, looks like this snowball effect did not only hit me, but it went around and hit a large number of people, so all of a sudden we were on front of these new messiah of extreme music, something confirmed by their shivering premier EP “Aura”.
Just like that, the seed of a sonant monster of epic proportions even with the semi-disappointing release “Soma” in the middle, Bölzer have regained their status of one of the most prominent and intense projects in today’s metal scene. The formula used in “Hero”, their first long-play release, is intelligent and touched by various influences and genres without ever losing its raw and primordial style, being it on a lyrical level (where we can find the presence of Nordic mythology elements) or the way it absorbs all the charisma that makes bands extraordinary and mystical, that in the end makes us, the mere listeners, wonder as small atoms on musical journey through out the universe the band created.
However, the opinions diverge, some because they feel like, sometimes, the band sounds like an osmose from Bölzer itself with old Mastodon and whereas the soul from Lemmy haunts every corner, and others because they feel the group has become more refined and lost some of its caveman touch. Although, in my opinion, all we can listen to in this record is nothing more than the natural evolution of the project.
So take time to listen to everything with your full undivided attention and you’ll notice that all the elements that separate them from all the other bands are still there such as, the chilling riffs, the way KzR uses its hands both in the most extreme parts, and on those dangerously doomed musical moments (pay special attention to “The Archer” and “Chlorophyllia” for instance), without forgetting the majestic work by HzR in the drums, that for itself alone would make the album worth listening.
All this gains some extra points of beauty when behind the production of this work you have names such as Vantura (from Triptykon) or Arioch (from SoTM) that still have their midas touch on point. Other special feature is the guest vocals by Sturla (from Svartidaudi) in one of the songs.
In short, “Hero” is an absolutely amazing album that makes you feel alive and grows on you the more you listen to it!
