Sometimes, a band’s name tells you almost nothing about them. Other times: all you need to know.
Glasgow’s Cwfen (pronounced ‘Coven’) are one of the latter. Appropriately describing themselves as doomgaze, debut album Sorrows emerges from the primordial mists and myths of their homeland cloaked in distortion and insidious, writhing grooves.
Building on elements of contrary post punk spikiness, sweeping gothic melodrama and rain soaked concrete riffs, Sorrows is an exceptionally accomplished debut from a band who sound like every anguished howl and whispered enticement has been born of experience and painstakingly crafted into something transcendental that stands alone, fearless and defiant in the face of genre conformity.
Standout tracks for me were ‘Wolfsbane’ and ‘Whispers’. The former with its gloriously 70’s metal riffing recalling Lucifer or Oath at their most occult. The latter: a lush, slow burning lament ringing with reverb and cymbals like an inrushing tide.
In all honesty, this record took a little while to get to grips with as it seems to stand alone without immediate points of reference. Repeated listens, however, reveal quite how special this is; beautiful, drenched in sense of time and place, both transporting and captivating.
Doom for people who don’t want their bowels forcibly removed.
Best paired with: Wise women, whisky and fog lights
Review by Jake (our Wine Expert)
cwfen – Sorrows is out now on New Heavy Sounds
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