Album Review: Wrach – Quae Infra Volo Videre (Apocalyptic Witchcraft)

From the cold dark shadows of Wales emerges Wrach, an enigmatic one-man black metal force. This solitary figure stands as a sentinel of Death, guiding initiates through desolate and perilous soundscapes, beckoning you to tread the treacherous path where malevolence and obscurity converge. The album ‘Quae Infra Volo Videre’ will emerge from the void on June 20th, 2024 via Apocalyptic Witchcraft.

Thick atmospheric black metal emanates from every part of Wrach, and the seven tracks of this album are saturated in darkness. Beginning with the strong sense of wandering deep into unknown and feeling the inescapable horror building deep inside. The bleak ambience of (The Altar of Tarren Deusant) Ghæstan Sathanical Semilanceata drags on to the point of discomfort, and then Wrach unleashes their black metal power. Still, effectively thick with atmosphere, and with a melodic vein running through it.

The darkness continues to swirl around as the opening track ends and the next track, (The Call of the Carnyx) The Abyss, The Seven Pillars, and The Gift of Annwn begins. Once the cacophony of noise truly kicks in, it’s a more traditional sounding black metal number, and the wickedness continues to shine brightly throughout.

With the (The Throes of the Covenant) Born from the Womb of Chaos though, the sense of horror is enhanced to delirious levels, as Wrach gets even faster and even heavier.

The extensive trawl through calamitous and commanding soundscapes continues with the drawn-out delivery of hellacious noise that comes from Hail Death! Wrach seemingly revelling in the level of discomfort created here. Before adding an ancient richness with (Ll.B.C. MMXXI) Ignis N.O.X. Delirium, albeit warped by the devilish sounds of black metal.

Then, as the album reaches its latter stages, Wrach finds new depths to plumb with the title track’s increasing desperate heaviness. Ending things in explosive fashion with A Woeful Descent (Telos). One last screeching and scowling eruption of bleak brutality, layered with an unending amount of darkness. That’s about as much as anyone will be able to take.

All the work of one entity? Not freaking bad!

Wrach – Quae Infra Volo Videre Track Listing:

1. (The Altar of Tarren Deusant) Ghæstan Sathanical Semilanceata
2. (The Call of the Carnyx) The Abyss, The Seven Pillars, and The Gift of Annwn
3. (The Throes of the Covenant) Born from the Womb of Chaos
4. Hail Death!
5. (Ll.B.C. MMXXI) Ignis N.O.X. Delirium
6. Quae Infra Volo Videre
7. A Woeful Descent (Telos)

Links

Bandcamp | Apocalyptic Witchcraft