Woe

Philadelphia, PA-based quartet Woe bring a refreshing new slant to the black metal genre with Withdrawal. Each song is a masterfully constructed display of musicianship featuring an array of influences — although the band keep close ties to the core black metal sound one can also hear just the right amount of punk, hardcore, post-rock and screamo thrown into the mix. Thick, crushing guitar tones bleed into epic solos while drummer Ruston Grosse keeps up an endless assault of blast beats. Withdrawal opens with the symphonic "This is the Ending of the Story" before moving into a dark, droning atmosphere with tracks like "Ceaseless Jaws," followed by the crushing sludge of "Exhausted" and the title track carrying you out. However, the most impressive aspect ofWithdrawal is the lyrical content. Foregoing more traditional black metal topics, Woe reference thinkers like Nietzsche and Sartre. There are also in-depth discussions of more philosophical topics, such as the fruitless pursuit of meaning and understanding or the seemingly inevitable repetition of history. Withdrawal will appeal to fans of all types of aggressive music.