By all accounts, black metal has long overflowed talent seeking to make its own sound known through whatever means necessary. While there are plenty who begin to tap into their potential, very few are able to really capitalize on it and truly stand out amongst an ocean of other names. It takes quite a bit to make your impact known amongst such stiff competition, but that never stops bands like Wode who have always been a name to respect. Even in this band’s fourth album, they continue to find a path forward that’s indicative of their power, daring in its execution, and undeniably effective with its own personal brand of black metal.

It should go without saying that black metal has been greatly influenced by other genres – be it death metal, doom, thrash, or otherwise – yet it still remains the case that only exceptional names are able to deliver on such high potential in a way that feels organic and comes out satisfyingly well-crafted. Wode has been no stranger to that concept as the years have piled on. However, it’s with practically everything that they’ve brought to the table throughout their fourth album, “Uncrossing the Keys”, that we see it all coalesce in such an intoxicating form, begging for further exploration. Taking more than a few pages from the worlds of thrash and, especially, heavy metal, every one of these nine tracks has something to call its own. Intense in its writhing energies and broad in its influences, Wode ensured from the very beginning that this is a record that’s a standout performance in their discography as well as black metal as a whole. Wode has not been a name to deny for years now, but it’s throughout “Uncrossing the Keys” that Wode truly stretches their legs and holds nothing back to make this record eviscerating, spell-binding, and downright addictive from start to finish.

The whole of black metal is always frothing with bands doing their own thing in spectacular fashion, and it’s here that Wode yet again shows us how they’ve been able to stay in the conversation for so long and why they continue to demand our attention and respect. “Uncrossing the Keys” makes tremendous strides to show us what Wode can still become. A fantastic contender for one of the most engaging creations of black metal in 2025 before its close, it’s with the whole of this record that Wode should be extremely pleased.

LISTEN to “Uncrossing the Keys” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Wode on Facebook here.

FOLLOW Wode on Instagram here.