Album Review: Impure Wilhelmina - Antidote
Reviewed by Danny Jewkes
Impure Wilhelmina are fiercely unafraid and unforgiving in their approach to what they’ve offered up with ‘Antidote’ and what they have always done! It will come as no surprise to old fans and will be a welcome launch pad to the newbs, like me!
Within seconds of each track, I’m immediately struck by how familiar this record sounds, but also how original and in it’s own world it comfortably inhabits. Almost impossible to pigeon hole and tie down to one genre and let’s face it, all the best bands are! Left turns and unexpected tempo and dynamic changes put Impure Wilhelmina somewhere in the realm of math rock and prog metal while always being anchored to a sense of melodic melancholy. There’s a constant, triumphant and forceful drive behind the record that pushes you into new territory and leaves you begging to be hit by the hooks again, prompting repeated play-throughs.
Let’s say for arguments sake that Mastodon had a baby with Pelican and force fed it Neurosis and Khoma, you’d have something close to ‘Antidote’. That might sound like utter nonsense to you and that’s because it is, but that’s what I hear and take from it. A thoroughly enjoyable slab of progressive heft with beautiful melodies against an ever changing backdrop of chaos and charisma with occasional dives into black metal rage that I am more than here for!
Easily one of my top five albums to come out so far this year that I will be shoehorning into every music conversation that I force upon the willing and unwilling. My cats and girlfriend are going to be hearing a lot of this, whether they like it or not!
I believe there is something for everyone in the midst of this masterpiece, so get it in your lugholes and don’t forget to tell the world I sent you!
