Review by Felix on December 16, 2020.

It was in 1939 when the German Antarctic Expedition discovered Neuschwabenland (New Swabia) and it remains a mystery why the Nazi propaganda did not make a hype about this fact. Maybe the dude with the clubfoot had better things to do, for example f**king Lida Baarova, the nice actress from Czechia. We don’t know it exactly… but speaking of Czechia helps us to get closer to Götterdämmerung. Despite their German name, they originate from Lida’s homeland, and they seem to have a weakness for the aesthetics of the Nazi period. Or am I misled by the artwork with the slogan “Willkommen in Neuschwabenland” and the “Bund Deutscher Mädel”-girl staring at me? And why was the output released on the 1st of September, exactly 81 years after the outbreak of World War II, the ultimate catastrophe?

Of course, all these speculations and open questions are not helpful. So let’s turn the cone of light on the music. Götterdämmerung rush over the icy fields of New Swabia with a breath-taking speed and sometimes they somersault ('Talvisota'). 5% less hysteria would have been a fine thing here. But if we take a close look at the big picture, we realize that there is not much to grumble. Neuschwabenland presents fresh, merciless, rude and mostly absolutely uncompromising thrash. The dudes are not overly influenced by the American pioneers from the eighties and the early material of the German role models such as Kreator or Destruction also does not really shimmer through the nine songs. The first seven songs and the closer are a thrashing bloodlust without a retrospective approach. But the title track stands in sharp contrast to these short, brutal and almost chaotic eruptions.

Suddenly, mesmerizing guitars roll out the red carpet for a narrator who tells the story of, well, the Neuschwabenland expedition in German. He uses almost poetic words, something like “New Swabia, where darkness covers the snowy landscapes… kingdom of eternal ice” and so on, but this remains the only poetic aspect here. Anyway, the narration lies in close proximity to the historic truth and I feel an icy coldness creeping up my back. No doubt, thrash and high velocity should stand shoulder to shoulder, but this mid-paced number is a highlight of the album. This does not mean that the ultra-fast outbursts of energy stand in the shadow of the title track. 'Alfa Tauri' marks a strict, murderous and slicing attack with a brilliant bridge and further tracks advance into very high quality regions. For instance, enjoy the rapid, slightly modern-Sodom-like riffing of 'Trojný Bod' – especially its excellent instrumental parts that have the power to drive me mad.

The album was recorded in April 2020 and I hope (no, I’m sure) the dudes did not celebrate Führer’s birthday during the recording process. Firstly, because nobody should do this, secondly due to the fact that they had a better reason to party. The result of the recordings is a very aggressive, straight-in-your-face sound that fits the band’s musical way of proceeding perfectly, although the guitars dominate over the vocals. Götterdämmerung destroy, destroy and destroy again and in view of the quality of the compositions and of the sound, it’s a joy to witness this act of destruction. I still wonder about the dude’s focus on Germany (not only band name and album title, but also the musician’s sick pseudonyms like “Wunderpepi” or “Brummbär”), but this does not affect the quality of the recommendable album.

Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Review by Felix on May 2, 2019.

Carnal Records locate Wan between reputable gangs such as Aura Noir, Hellhammer and - as always - (early) Bathory. This categorization is right, while the simultaneous mention of Celtic Frost is rather misleading. Wan have not much in common with the courageous project of Tom Warrior, because they shy away from any kind of experiment. Instead, the songs of the Swedish quartet wallow in vice while revealing a very dirty approach and a nasty sound. The mix is inspired by the old works of Darkthrone, another band which is mentioned by the label. (I guess the dude who wrote this promo sheet is also the composer of Driller Killer's "In the Name of Namedropping"...) Fortunately, the rasping guitars have more power than those on "Under a Funeral Moon".

Either way, Wan do not reach the class of the aforementioned "idols". The combo's core competency is making noise, but exciting riffs are not in its focus. They appear occasionally, for example in the second tune. But honestly speaking, the riff sounds good, but not new. It has been offered by other bands many times before. Indeed, originality is written in very small letters in the musical spectrum of Wan, but this can be excused in view of the sub-genre that the protagonists represent. Homicidal black thrash is the natural enemy of innovation. Given this situation, one can say that "Out of Your League" marks a forceful number, not only because of its dynamic tempo changes. The same goes for "Fistful of Metal". Don't expect a cover version of Anthrax, this piece starts violently with galloping guitars, but a break after 50 seconds pulls the plug, because it opens the door for a pretty lame part.

The consistent one-tone approach of the so-called lead "singer" has the crude charm of brutality, but its monotony and uniformity also characterize his performance. Wan just fail to develop an own identity and that's a pity after three full-lengths. Five songs in less than 15 minutes speak volumes in this context. Black thrash has never found its fulfillment in overly complex or cryptic structures, but a little bit more substance could have worked wonders here. In short, the band does not lack integrity but convincing ideas and with regard to the fact that they are already active for ten years, I fear that they will remain on their average level. The challenge is to write songs whose impact lasts longer than their playtime. As much as I regret it, this seems to be an onerous task for Wan. This great country called Sweden has many better formations in its portfolio. But unlike Carnal Records, I will not drop a hundred names. You know who these bands are.

Rating: 5.6 out of 10