Review: Cwfen ‘Sorrows’
Sometimes a band will come along, and without knowing anything about them, you will just have a gut instinct that there is something special about them. It could be the buzz, or their look, or just an aura that speaks louder than any megaphone ever could. Well, Cwfen are one of those bands as there’s an air that makes them stand out in a uniquely wonderous way.
Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, the quartet have surprisingly only been together for less than a couple of years, but in that time have made quite the name for themselves along with releasing their debut album Sorrows back in May on the New Heavy Sounds label, one which is synonymous with bands such as Black Moth, MWWB, Cold In Berlin, and Embr but to name a few. Hopefully, the inclusion of those heavyweights in the roster should show the calibre of the bands that the label houses, and with Cwfen on the books, the future looks very bright indeed.
As for the band themselves, the line-up comprises of Agnes Alder on vocals and guitar, Guy DeNuit on lead guitar, Rös Ranquinn on drums and percussion, and Mary Thomas Baker completing the group on bass. Between the four of them, they invoke such sonic mayhem that it’s as uncomfortable as it is hypnotising. Dark and brooding with flourishes of eclectic ’80s goth synthwave is only the very tip of the iceberg of a sound that is as unique as it is familiar.
Looking into the band closer, I saw multiple times about them being reminiscent of Type O Negative and Chelsea Wolfe, which I think is a fair comparison. There’s definitely a dark, eclectic ambience, it’s heavy, droney bass rings bells at Pete Steele, while the structure of the tracks, coupled with the vocal and musical approach firmly in Cheslea Wolfe territory.
It’s lusciously dark, feels otherworldly, and with the mixture of heavy doomgaze, coupled with some gothic post-metal, it really does give for an unsettling ride that’s for sure. The mix of screeched and growled vocals which parallels a softer, more ethereal approach to delivery really compacts those lights and darks, and over the gothic backdrop, they are monumental.
As for the instrumental contingent, what we have here is a lesson in utilising the best elements of the band and not replicating yet another heavy formulaic metal album. Absent are big choruses, guitar solos thrown in at each specific segment, wailing away aimlessly, and these big fist-pumping, arena-filling anthems, structurally engineered to tick boxes and little else. This is far cleverer than that. It is built on atmosphere, using little markers to build intensity, and evolving as the album progresses. As much as each track sounds like Cwfen, they are still individualistic and unique within themselves.
Over the course of Sorrows we are gifted ten truly ritualistic pieces of work, and even though three are ambient interludes, even these help to build the tension. Thankfully, the instrumental pieces are labelled Fragment I, II and III, so they are easily recognisable, and beyond saying they are momentary pauses to catch a breath, there isn’t much more I can say really.
Dark and brooding with flourishes of eclectic ’80s goth synthwave…
This then leaves us with seven full band symphonies, which are all equally incredible to behold, so it’s nye on impossible to dissect them without going into far greater detail, and if I did that, this review would be far longer than I’m trying to keep it to.
That being said, there are a few tracks which I absolutely adore and would like to highlight, without dismissing the rest as inferior, because that really isn’t the case at all. For me Whispers and Penance really do showcase just how wonderful Cwfen are.
Whispers enters tentatively, it holds off initially, giving a chance to showcase Agnes’ softer vocal side. Dark and sultry, they carry the piece, guiding it forwards beautifully. It’s moments like this where those Chelsea Wolfe comparisons are evident, but this is more than mimicking; Agnes has a style which is utterly unique, and nods firmly towards a darker eighties’ nu-wave goth sound. This drapes itself across the sonic journey, and even when the additional growls interject to upset the ambience, they never get overridden.
Penance gives an opportunity to unveil a different side to the band, where a screeched growl is the weapon of choice. That being said, the chorus is replaced by a magically wonderous vocal that is beautiful and soothing. It’s these pairings where the band really do shine, and whenever they appear, it is heart stopping as much as it is a revelation.
As debuts go, this really is monumental; the scope and depth is something I’ve not witnessed in a long time, and there isn’t one lull in joy for this album, even at its darkest.
Sorrows is the perfect antidote to all of the corporate dross that’s out there trying to disguise itself as heavy music. You can keep your Ghosts and your Sleep Tokens, both of which are just clever marketing campaigns to entice money out of the uneducated with gimmicks, if you want a truly embracing, all-consuming experience, then this is it. One hundred percent the real deal, Cwfen will change your outlook forevermore.
Label: New Heavy Sounds
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
