Wounds

A terrific follow-up to 2016's King Apathy, which I recently reviewed. (Before we get any further: yes, Thränenkind changed its name to King Apathy, which is especially confusing because they created an album named King Apathy...while they were called Thränenkind.) If you liked that album, there is much more to like here.

King Apathy tried to send a message about the ennui of modern life, but the lyrics were so heavy and distorted that it was possible to listen to it all the way through and not think about them. With Wounds, this is impossible. The album starts with a spoken-word piece about the damage that humans are doing to the environment, and that theme is developed throughout. I find spoken-word stuff offputting in metal music, and frankly I think that it does some aesthetic damage here. It just doesn't seem to be integrated well. Lyrics have never been this band's strong point, anyway. There is never any verbal inventiveness, just nihilistic despair, which is exhausting.

Apart from that, every track is rock-solid. King Apathy produces tracks with wonderful dynamism and flow. The production value is also superb. I have listened to "Great Depression" dozens of times because the guitars sound so good. In the first few seconds, the track's title is justified by the exhausted, heavy quality of the sound. The plodding notes of the bass guitar at ~1:00 delight me, too.

What a shame that this band is broken up now! I would love to hear more.