Releasedate 09-07-2023
Niels Riethorst, the man behind Dutch Black metal act Beenkerver, has released his second EP filled with 90’s style Black Metal. “Twee Wolven” is a 3-part epos about the Native American parable that each of us has two wolves inside of us; good and evil. Whichever one you feed, will win the fight. Let’s dive into these 16 minutes of dark black music and let’s see who comes out on top.
Beenkerver goes back a decade to the time when atmospheric black metal was the norm. The deep, dark, Dutch, and very well-pronounced vocals set this act apart immediately. Quiet often with black and death metal, the lyrics are just as unrecognizable as the band’s logo. You have to work a bit to understand the lyrics though, because the vocals are a bit overshadowed by the rest of the music. Not that I mind; the wall of sound crashes over you like a dark storm and I’m perfectly okay with that.
After releasing a full album in 2022, one might find it odd that a band releases a 3-track EP instead of another album. However, this 3-part epos makes perfect sense. With the tale of the two wolves in the back of my mind, the tracks are very relatable.
The music itself reminds me of TRVE bands of old, for instance, Emperor and Dimmu Borgir. An atmospheric backing track, with blast beats, and interesting guitar riffs. The first track, De Dromer, really reminds me of an intro I’ve heard before but I can’t pinpoint what it reminds me of though. It’s a good thing; the whole EP sounds familiar and refreshing at the same time. There is the right balance of faster riffs and time to breathe. The whole EP feels like a summer storm with dark clouds, heavy winds, and rain crashing over you. Just the right feel for this type of hot weather.
Final thoughts
Twee Wolven is a great EP that will for sure be on repeat for a while in my playlists. After hearing this I definitely need to hear more of this act. I really don’t have a favorite track this time; all three tracks are equally good.
Check out Beenkerver on Bandcamp or listen to their EP on Spotify. Looking for more Dutch Black Metal? Make sure to check out the rest of our database for interesting other bands.
