Review: “Kanawha Black” by Nechochwen

“Though Kanawha Black was inspired by events both factual and anecdotal in American prehistory and frontier history, the songwriting gradually progressed into an album that has a less earthy and more otherworldly atmosphere. As we tracked, mixed, and mastered this album over several years, Kanawha Black seemed to originate from and reside somewhere in the ether. On the surface, the songs’ topics continue to explore our region; Appalachia (specifically the Ohio River Valley of West Virginia and Ohio as well as the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania) continues to provide our greatest artistic influence. However, we hope that these songs will  also convey to the listener that the essence of the past, even in fleeting moments in our  modern lives, is still connected to us in many ways through natural mystery. Kanawha Black is  our attempt to tap into the veil of this connection” ~ Nechochwen

This present darkness has seen a revival of a variety of artists and acts thought lost to the sands of time with West Virginia’s revered Black Folk Metal act Nechochwen being just one. Originally formed back in 2005 rising like a phoenix from the ashes of Angelrust, as a solo project Nechochwen began the passionate exploration of Native American Indian heritage through stunning classical guitar instrumentation and lush atmosphere. Now, after seven long years in the wilderness following the release of “Heart of Akamon“, the wanderer returns with the assistance of multi instrumentalist Pohonasin for the beginning of a new dawn and the era of “Kanawha Black“.

While Nechochwen is the main song writer and performs guitars, vocals and even flute, the role of Pohonasin is not to be underestimated as he is credited with not only drums, bass, hand percussion, jaw harp on “Visions, Dreams and Signs” and vocals for chorus on the album title track but also with engineering, mixing and mastering. The album begins with the title track which sets the tone with a really interesting mix of stylings, blending unclean vocals, bursts of Black Metal blast beats and aggression with clean sung passages and the classical instrumentation of Traditional Metal. While on paper the pair of styles may sound like a train wreck waiting to happen, everything is held together by a swirling atmosphere which help the burr the lines between the genres with a style and grace with the quality of the musicianship. The tracks that follow in “The Murky Deep” and “I Can Die But Once” then offer acoustic guitars and vibrant melodies, the later offering harsh whispered vocal parts that are a disturbing contrast. In some ways the cover art chosen for the album feels a little misleading, painting a picture of something heavier and more caustic than the dark beauty that the album actually has to offer.

“Kanawha Black” actually feels like the soundtrack to an arthouse film with a glorious vibrant diversity that has many different aspects and textures to appreciate as there is so much more to this than meets the eye. The Black Metal influences return gradually with “A Cure for the Winter Plagues” offering some bowel clenching bellows before “Visions, Dreams, and Signs” reanimates the onslaught for storming first half that drops out to acoustic guitars in the mid section before rising once more. A true magnum opus of a cut, its one of those pieces that contains all the elements that the album has to offer in one single sonic entity and there is even time for some 80’s Thrash nostalgia with a couple of riffs in the tail end. “Generations of War” floats gently like a lily on a calm pond before bursting into Black Metal flame with flute and acoustic guitar moments making for something of an avant-garde piece that pulls on threads as it is as melodic as it is heavy both at the same time. How that has been done is nothing short of astounding. Then you have the vibrant solos of the stunning “Across the Divide“, an absolute tour de force of Traditional Metal that blows the mind. This isn’t just Metal. It’s passionately creative art. [8/10]

Track listing

1. Kanawha Black
2. The Murky Deep
3. I Can Die But Once
4. A Cure for the Winter Plagues
5. Visions, Dreams, and Signs
6. Generations of War
7. Across the Divide

“Kanawha Black” by Nechochwen is out 13th May 2022 via Bindrune Recordings and is available for pre-order over at bandcamp