Vreid’s sixth full length release entitled “Welcome Farewell” features a charismatic fusion of raw black metal and traditional rock n’ roll. While the band always personalizes and reinterprets some old school metal favorite elemens, a more melodic approach is dominant throughout the album. Considering the wide range of musical facets explored on “Welcome Farewell” it would be safe to say that Vreid is trying to reach a wider audience.
“The Ramble” stands out for its excellent somber atmosphere. The songwriting is smooth and attentive, the raspy vocals fit the mood perfectly and the guitar riffs have a captivating melodic delivery.
“Way Of The Serpent” has an evident black metal approach filled with aggressive guitar riffs layered on a fast and furious rhythm section. Later on, there are still plenty of softer melodies to render everything more accessible.
The title track shines for its melodic nature and groovy rhythm, but also offers plenty of gloomy tunes and violently heavy guitar riffs. The song’s structure is quite traditional, yet at the same time it displays a unique musical intensity especially in the lead guitar work.
“The Reap” has a dark rock n’ roll aura enhanced by dramatically melancholic guitar melodies performed in Scandinavian fashion. This is probably the catchiest song on the album due to the extremely melodic core and the highly reduced speed.
“Sights Of Old” begins with slow and mellow harmonies and a heavy doomish mood. When the drums kick in, everything becomes black and almost claustrophobic. Yet, in the end the lead guitar brings always charming lighter melodies and purifying clean arpeggios. This track offers several style variations designed to keep the listeners entertained, therefore it is the most interesting track in terms of songwriting.
The slight gothic attitude and the dark low toned vocals make “Black Waves” another pleasant moment that deserves a thorough listening.
“Welcome Farewell” represents a further step towards the rightful achievement of a prominent position in the realm of underground metal. This is a strong and intensely mature album that would easily please all metal lovers.