Wendigo

I'll be the first to admit that I've had this CD for a while now, but while I'm only reviewing it now, it's not a case of not having listened to it. On the contrary I've had pretty much only had this CD on at work, and while I haven't listened to it in a week or two, putting it in again now has it sounding just as fresh and powerful as it was the first time I heard it. This Hungarian quintet comprises of: Zoltán Bátky-Valentin (BZ) - vocals; Tamás Kozó (Kozi) and József Takács (Jozzy) - guitars; Róbert Csörnyi (Rob) - bass guitars; Attila Varjú (Crow) - drums. Musically they are rather diverse. Vocals range from softly sung baritones, to slightly more aggressive near growls on occasion, but predominantly they remain very
melodic and filled with harmonic layers. The guitar rhythms are full and powerful with the leads flowing over them as effortlessly as the vocals do. The bass is driving and full of slaps and pops that are accentuated by the pounded snare and kick drum. "Broken" kicks things off with some intricate syncopation and whispered vocals which quickly metamorphose into to chunky guitar riffs with the vocals adjusting appropriately. Just as choppy at first but far more melodic throughout, "Thousand Voices" definitely showcases BZ's vocals and the tightness of the band. I think one of the most deceptive things about Wendigo is that owing to the layers of gentler vocals over the music, it makes you think that the music isn't as heavy as it actually is, like on "Let it Out" where the drums are pounded into oblivion but you can hum along contently to the vocal melody as if it were a ballad. "Butterfly" on the other hand is a ballad and played acoustically, at first, but always retaining the softer side of things when the riffs get heavier. While "Prophets Of Emptiness" has a gentler feel to it, the lyrics are anything but and quite thought provoking in a way. "Ricochet" is one of those bouncy songs that shall go down well in a club where everyone's jumping up and down. With a very tribal native American atmosphere "Sangre De Dios" takes things in a new direction, but then "Rain Maker" brings you back to the syncopated riffing and heavier sounds that they do really well. Perhaps it's because I've listened to this disc so many times, but "Disconnected" has such familiarity about it that I know exactly when each tempo change is going to occur and how the leads are going to fade in and out. The bass grooves on "Two As One" are awesome and allow the guitars to do their own thing, which they definitely do. So if you're after something very powerful, yet very melodic and even light on occasion these guys are well worth a listen. www.wendigonet.com/ - Live 4 Metal

Wow! What the fuck was that? I think that a train just crossed my room and left nothing but ruin behind it! Holy fuck! It seems that no train came in here; it was the new WENDIGO album (ok, my humor sucks, I know that!). This band made me think about some things like great bands that come straight from small countries that do not have a good history with Metal bands.

WENDIGO is the second band from Hungary that falls into my hands for a review (the first was the incredible "Outcast" by EKTOMORF). If I am not mistaken, this band was formed in 2003 (newbies, huh?) and has released only an EP in 2004. This is their debut album, which is released in Hungary under their own name as a label and is being distributed by the biggest domestic Metal company, Nail Records.

I have to admit that WENDIGO managed to attract my attention from the first second of "Let It Out". When I placed the CD in my CD player and "Broken" kicked in I was just sure that this band would be something different and really good. Their music can be described as Progressive Metal with the pure meaning of the word "progressive" and not the stupid meaning it has from bands like DREAM THEATER and FATES WARNING (I am not against those bands but I think that Progressive Metal is a wider genre). Anyway, after the short Metal crisis, let’s return to the review. You may have been bored of hearing me saying this, but this band plays what I would call 100% modern Metal. All five members of this band seem to be extremely talented and have achieved to keep an incredible balance between melody and heaviness. What I say may sound a bit "too much" but I think that if you don’t listen to this album you can’t understand the emotion and the power this band produces through its songs! "Let It Out", in my humble opinion, is appropriate for fans of Progressive Metal bands like PSYCHOTIC WALTZ and PAIN OF SALVATION and more "extreme" bands like PANTERA.

If you are looking for something fresh enough to feed your "modern" Metal appetite, then WENDIGO’s "Let It Out" is exactly what you need. I don’t know if you are going to like, but it is very possible it will be one of your favorites! One of the best debuts I have ever come across! Buy or die!
- metal-temple.com