Label - Consouling Sounds/Tartarus Records
Release Date - 8 April 2022
Words- Chris Fletcher
Hailing from Utrecht, Dutch five-piece Terzij de Horde are back with their second full-length album “In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy”. Although the band have been active since 2010, they have released various EP's, splits and even translations of poetry in this time, showing that they are not your average extreme metal band and have many more strings to their collective bow.
At three tracks and just under half an hour in length, “In One Of These, I Am Your Enemy” offers a visceral and emotive journey which incorporates more genres than their black metal tag would initially hint at. Although the band’s sound is undoubtedly rooted there, elements of doom and post-hardcore really keep you interested throughout. And although seeing track lengths of over eleven and thirteen minutes may seem daunting, there is a real flow to the record that means it never feels like a slog.
Opening track and lead single “Cherion” opens with some feedback before kicking off with a more typical black metal riff, all the while the vocals on top sound like a balanced mix of black metal and hardcore without one dominating the other. Up next is the title track which again starts with a tremolo-picked black metal riff before incorporating a Gojira style groove to give things a real change of pace. Final track “Precipice”, the longest on the record at just under fourteen minutes, flips things around, beginning with a more post-hardcore sound before the black metal trademarks rear their head.
Whilst previous album ‘Self’ was focused on just that, taking an introspective look at the shaping and destruction of the self, their second full length looks further afield, dealing with big questions about the nature of life and how collective realities can be shaped by the powerful. Thankfully, the band are able to back up such hefty topics with an equally heavy sonic pounding.
Production-wise the band have got it spot on for their sound. The drums feel powerful and the riffs hit hard, whilst the vocals are able to offer an emotional and piercing dynamic to proceedings. All of this is captured well whilst allowing the guitar leads to soar at times before everything comes crashing down around you.
Taken from a Henrik Marsman poem, I am reliably informed that Terzij de Horde means “Apart from the Horde” and it doesn’t take long to see how fitting a name that is for this project. Although compared previously to bands like Wolves in the Throne Room, Terzij de Horde continue to forge their own path. Whilst the record may be rooted in black metal, its fingers are in many different pies meaning this is not your standard black metal offering. The variation on display makes this both an engaging and immersive listen that manages to maintain its dark and brooding vibe despite pushing genre boundaries throughout. This one is certainly worth devoting the time to getting lost in.
8/10
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