In 2021, I came across the Belgian post-rock outfit, WANHEDA, whose sophomore studio album “Desert of Real” made quite a good impression with its cinematic soundscapes and Baudrillardian themes. As per the notoriously withdrawn and introverted conventions of the genre, this bunch is not one to bombard you with a non-stop cabaret of online self-promotion; so, unless you’re one of those die-hards who relentlessly dig through the crates of obscure, yet high-quality post-rock releases, you are prone to miss these sorts of gems. Now, these cinematic rockers are back with their third studio album “Dusty Trails,” due out on November 22nd, 2024, via De Mist Records – and a gem it truly is. The band’s Bandcamp profile refers to their unique style on this new outing as though Jack Black of TENACIOUS D having written a western-themed instrumental rock album – and, after a few spins, you feel compelled to agree. In addition to the genre-savvy modal excursions into the highly evocative sonic terrains, the album incorporates elements not very often heard in this context, such as hard-rock guitar solos. Thus, the musical path this bunch is determined to traverse is not exactly an oft-beaten one – hence the album title, I reckon.
The game’s afoot with the somewhat Ennio Morricone-inspired opener, “Beneath the Vulture’s Gaze.” The spaghetti-western mood is already hinted at the song’s title and the vibe is further cemented with the plaintive trumpet, courtesy of Geert Moesen. These ruffians are not, by far, the first post-rock band to flirt with these sorts of western all’italiana vibes but, to give credit where it is due, WANHEDA rather skillfully injects these elements into their tight songcraft, without sounding clichéd. It turns out that there is an overarching theme to the album this time around, too. Unlike last time, what with the dystopian and somewhat The Matrix-like themes of the previous outing, the Western-inspired storyline of this third studio album is more open to interpretation. Despite the occasional hard-rock flourishes and demure breakdowns, I wouldn’t dub this endeavor post-metal, exactly. (Well, “Gold Fever Dreams” does roll out some nice and heavy riffs…) However, the Western concept somehow triggers nice flashbacks of the 2009 album, “Diary of a Dead Man Walking,” by the Finnish post-metal rogues, BETRAYAL AT BESPIN. At its softest, the album’s sonic imprint sounds as though being a next of kin to these Belgian post-rockers’ latest endeavor.
In “Grit and Glory,” the plot thickens. If the syncopated drum beat is yet not enough to dissolve the tradition-savvy post-rock feel created by the guitar textures, the elaborate synth lines most definitely are something you don’t come across very often in this genre. Yeah, you know the drill – typically, the role of the keyboards in this context would be to play a repeating motif in the background while the guitars blast those tremolo riffs and legatos ad nauseam. Sure, we get some of that ostinato stuff, too, over the course of this sonic journey. Some of the most haunting passages are heard in the song, “In the Footsteps of the Nameless.” However, I must point out that the keyboard arrangements are deliciously versatile on this album. Instead of opting for the standard postrock approach in every turn, the style palette stretches from the ballad-like pianism of “Gold Fever Dreams” to the pounding unisono riffs in the opener. The band sports a rather acute sense of melody and these post-rock rogues are not afraid of the occasional side-step into the jazz realm; thus, I was particularly delighted to spot some piano voicings that echoed the style of Bill Evans, even.
Well, just like last time, it is pretty counter-intuitive to dissect these songs individually, since post-rock albums are, by default, designed to be enjoyed as a whole. This endeavor makes no exception. Like with “Desert of Real,” WANHEDA has crafted the sonic narrative of their new album with long, slow-burning strokes. In terms of post-rock, their style is still rather faithful to the classic sound of bands such as MONO, GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR, and what-have-you. However, the subtle nuances – that you would miss if you didn’t really listen to the music – are what make this bunch stand out, most prominently the strong melodies that place this band in the same league with the likes of GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT. By the looks of it, with three quality albums in their back catalog, WANHEDA is fast becoming a post-rock force to be reckoned with; “Dusty Trails” is a worthy installment in their haunting musical saga.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Beneath the Vulture’s Gaze
- Grit and Glory
- In the Footsteps of the Nameless
- Lady Caliph Nocturne
- Gold Fever Dreams
- The Solar Apex
Lineup
Jan Boucké – guitars
Jan Verduyckt – guitars
Nick Van Vynckt – bass
Nico Camps – drums
Jasper Simon – keyboards
Jan Peeters – production/guitars
Guests:
Geert Moesen – trumpet on track 1
Label
De Mist Records
Links
https://www.facebook.com/wanhedaband
https://wanhedaband.bandcamp.com/music
