Album Review: Zemlya by Wowod – A Sonic Collision of Metal and Raw Emotion
Wowod’s Zemlya isn’t your run-of-the-mill metal album. Released in 2018, this cross-continental effort (Canada and Russia repping hard here) blends Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, Black Metal, and Post-Metal into a chaotic yet strangely cohesive experience. It’s the kind of record that punches you in the gut but also makes you think—like a philosophical beatdown wrapped in distortion.
The album comes via Les Disques Rabat-Joie and Wowod’s own self-released label, which gives it that gritty DIY vibe. Tracks like Holod and Iskhod stick with you—not because they’re catchy in a traditional sense, but because they feel alive. These songs breathe, scream, and writhe in ways that are hard to shake off.
Take Holod, for instance. This track is an icy slap to the face, opening with haunting atmospherics before diving headfirst into a wall of sound. The guitars churn like a storm over frozen tundra, while the vocals alternate between guttural growls and desperate howls. You can almost feel the cold seeping through your headphones—it’s oppressive, suffocating, and utterly mesmerizing. If winter had a soundtrack, this might be it.
Then there’s Iskhod. Where Holod freezes, Iskhod burns. The track builds slowly, layering tension until it erupts into something primal and untamed. The drumming feels relentless, like war drums pounding out a call to arms, while the riffs spiral into chaos. There’s a moment midway where everything drops out except for a single, mournful note—it’s jarring, almost uncomfortable, but that’s what makes it unforgettable. This isn’t music you listen to casually; it demands your full attention.
Tracks like Mor and Golod round out the album, each adding its own shade of darkness to the mix. But it’s Holod and Iskhod that linger long after the final note fades. They’re not just songs—they’re experiences, raw and unfiltered.
What’s wild about Zemlya is how it straddles so many genres without losing its identity. Hardcore energy collides with Black Metal ferocity and Post-Metal introspection, creating something that defies easy categorization. And maybe that’s the point. Wowod doesn’t seem interested in fitting neatly into any box—they’re too busy breaking them.
In the end, Zemlya leaves you with more questions than answers. What does “Zemlya” even mean? Earth? Ground? Or something deeper? The album feels like a journey, but one without a clear destination. Maybe that’s why it sticks with you—it’s not just heard; it’s felt.
Final thought: Listening to Zemlya feels like standing on the edge of a cliff during a lightning storm. Dangerous, exhilarating, and kinda beautiful all at once. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand.
