1914
Where Fear and Weapons Meet

4.0
excellent

Review

by manosg EMERITUS
December 31st, 2021 | 70 replies

Release Date: 2021 | Tracklist

Review Summary: A master class in blackened death/doom metal and World War I.

Back when information wasn't as readily available as today, it wasn't uncommon for metalheads to become familiar with little-known topics to them through music. That, in turn, created a special bond with specific bands and albums. I won't even pretend that I am a history buff or knowledgeable when it comes to the Great War, which makes 1914's latest offering an exciting listen, as it allows me to become accustomed to both their music and World War I. Right from the bat, Where Fear and Weapons Meet sets the mood and places the listener into a muddy trench with a traditional Serbian song. What follows, is the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (in the form of "FN .380 ACP#19074"), which marked the start of Europe's greatest conflict. The symphonic touches on that song, along with the samples, provide a cinematic feel which is maintained throughout the album's duration.

Listening to 1914's third installment, one can spot various influences including Bolt Thrower, God Dethroned, and the Gothenburg scene. There is a great sense of melody on here which makes the album suitable even for non-blackened death/doom metal aficionados. That, combined with the anthropocentric approach in the lyrics, makes most songs easier to relate to. For example, the lyrics of " ...And a Cross Now Marks His Place" come from a real letter that a mother received notifying her that her son had lost his life during conflict. Nick Holmes' participation, using both growls and clean vocals, makes this song even more crushing. What is more, the performance of each member is excellent, with memorable riffs and powerful drums that represent machine guns. However, vocalist Ditmar Kumarberg steals the show as he effectively conveys feelings like desperation, madness, horror, and loss, among others. According to the band, most of the time, the lyrics precede the music, which also gives the listener the feeling of reading an old journal, apart from the aforementioned cinematic experience. Lastly, there is also the element of surprise, as in the middle of the album, "Coward", a purely acoustic song, describes the execution of a man who couldn't stand the torment of war and deserted.

On the other hand, a few of the songs tend to tread a bit on the long side, and some may feel that the album is a bit overproduced, even though I love that it sounds so "big". Nevertheless, these are only minor issues that should not deter anyone from checking what is clearly a band on the rise and a beast of an album.

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