Artist: Wiatyk
Country: Poland
Label: Diabolical Vitriol / Pro Morte
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2024
This second demo tape from Wiatyk, originally released in 1996, was simultaneously reissued with the band’s first effort. And while ‘Mysticism’, from 1995, showed a band in a blueprint sort of Polish Black Metal, ‘Trol Wlen’ sounds remarkably more advanced. Not only does it show the band having grown as musicians and song writers, it also strayed from the more standard paths of what could be said is typical Polish Black Metal.
The band’s first steps with ‘Mysticism’ were mostly a demonstration of primordial and uncomplicated, raw Black Metal. Pretty much ticking every single box of classic Polish Black Metal: harsh, sharp, unpolished and non-sophisticated. In the review on ‘Mysticism’ I described it as mean and ugly. Well, ‘Tron Wlen’ definitely shows a different side of the band.
This second and last bit of music the band ever produced still has much of that previous display of youthful crudeness, yet it is clear that Wiatyk was aiming for much more this time around. With a clearer presence of atmospheric elements, both in humming vocals and less-sharp guitars and more moody production the music sounds way more in line with the Scandinavian Black Metal that was on the rise at the time. While never sounding exactly the same, some Pagan-like hints of Ulver and Borknagar can be heard. What did remain untouched though, are the icy screams, sometimes reminiscent of Burzum on its very first recordings.
‘Tron Wlen’ certainly is an interesting piece of music. Blending the last echoes of their way more standard Polish Black Metal with a more distinct Pagan sound, makes them creep up to the likes of early Falkenbach for instance. Also noteworthy are the Bathory-esque leads that even adds more to the Pagan-like atmosphere. Perhaps a little less of a typical regional product, but still a band I would have quite liked to hear more of because they were by no means lacking in vision and talent.
