Songs Of Blood And Mire (great title!) is the fourth full-length from Spectral Wound and is 43 minutes of black metal fury. The Montreal crew expands introduces new elements to their sound while still retaining the devilish blueprint.

It’s a cleaner effort production wise with audible bass (!), but still retains that gritty, grimy, razor-sharp guitar tone that carries the record. Jonah screams away with echoed effects on his vocals creating a ghastly atmosphere, mysterious atmosphere that serves the album well.

Owning influences to Finnish black metal, Spectral Wound expands upon their sound by incorporating inspirations of black ‘n’ roll (check out that upbeat drum pattern to open “Less And Less Human, O Savage Spirit”) with a punkish quality to them. The beginning riff to “Fevers And Suffering” and “Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal” possess these qualities and uses them to great potency.

“A Coin Upon The Tongue” utilizes these influences to max impact with a nasty attitude and riff that sets it apart from the rest of the album while “At Wine-Dark Midnight In Mouldering Halls” drips with a sweet melody to close out the dissonant maelstrom in the first half 6-minute affair.

Where Spectral Wound excels is their ability to create masterful riffs and melodies and they are more pronounced this time around. While the chaos of “The Horn Marauding” goes by in a memoryless blur, Songs Of Blood And Mire expresses its desires with confidence and fierce attitude. This is black metal done right and is a must listen.