Kwade Droes – De Duivel En Zijn Gore Oude Kankermoer

For Dutch people, the band name Kwade Droes (an infectious disease for horse, which can be transmitted to humans: glanders) and the album title ‘De Duivel En Zijn Gore Oude Kankermoer‘ (freely translated – and unfortunately the bland translation doesn’t cover the actual filthyness of the title – The Devil and his Stale, Old Cancerous Mother), should hint that this is not the pretty, slick kind of black metal (the fact that the anonymous band from Gelderland is signed by Ván Records also adds to that). Parental advisory aside, what do we actually hear on ‘De Duivel En Zijn Gore Oude Kankermoer’ ?

The intro, “De teerling is geworpen”, sets a haunting atmosphere. A calm, ominous piano melody leads you to the 00:36 mark, where you’ll find out what this Dutch formation is exactly about. A lofi, low and almost indistinguishable wall of guitars hits you and with a bit of effort, you can hear the drums pounding from the depths of the earth. It actually sounds like all the instruments are warped and twisted and therefore hardly audible. Perfect example: the first minutes of “Lood om oud ijzer,” which also contain sound scapes straight out of your deformed and most terrifying nightmares.

On most of the songs, screams and guttural vocals take the lead role, as they are most discernable. The lyrics, as far as understandable are in Dutch, just as the audio snippets on a couple of songs with a man talking about different dimensions. Ultimate favorite of the album is “Misdaad Loont”, which encompasses all elements of Kwade Droes. A disturbing soundtrack (with an almost dungeonesuqe, ambient influence), a guitar sound as thick as tar and, wait, in the centerpiece actual catchy riffs and vocals bordering on the edge of sanity.

At first I had my doubts if Kwade Droes would be anything for me at all: I haven’t dived deeply into the scene of underground, purposefully nightmarish and deeply lofi black metal, other than (also Dutch) group Grafjammer, the Iceland dude who actually writes the music for Lucifer’s realm Afsprengi Satans and the originator of the scene: Mayhem (don’t even try to deny it). During the first listens, ‘De Duivel En Zijn Gore Oude Kankermoer’ didn’t do much for me. The key to change? Listening to this record like it is intended, basking in the glory of noise and twistedness, swearing, it’s crusty vibe, with the mindset that everything should go to hell.

Kwade Droes – De Duivel En Zijn Gore Oude Kankermoer will not be liked by all, not even by all black metal fans. Still, I’d say you have to give it a spin if you’re a fan of the genre. If you manage to get into these horrendous corners of music and mind, Kwade Droes is to perfect companion to accompany you into such dark dimensions.

Words by Laetitia

Label: Ván Records
Release date: June 25, 2018

Rating: 8/10
Tracklist:
1. De teerling is geworpen
2. Lood om oud ijzer
3. De wrange boodschap
4. Drankduivel
5. Misdaad loont

Metal-Exposure

Learn More →