Return of The Wildernessking

Speaking of African metal, one of my favorite bands from the continent has just finished recording a new album. You’ve heard the name Wildernessking bandied about here before (even Vince likes ‘em!) and for good reason: this South African quartet has got a serious handle on atmospheric, progressive black metal (“post-black metal” if you’re nasty). Their first two releases cherry-picked the best bits of Wolves in the Throne Room, modern-day Enslaved, and Bergtatt-era Ulver to create a compelling sound of their own, built on clean, complex riffing and epic tendencies. Their new EP, The Devil Within, consolidates all those influences, and also shows a marked amount of growth from their not-so-long-ago salad days. Their command of the powers of light and darkness is exquisite, ahd this three-song effort marks yet another purposeful stride forward for a band that’s been impressive since the very beginning.

Buy the EP here, andl listen to the truly epic closing track, also titled “The Devil Within,” below.