(EP, Black Lodge Records, 2026)
The EP “Å” turned out to be both a pleasant surprise and a slap in the face for not having paid enough attention to WORMWOOD before. A few vinyl purchases later, I believe I can now consider myself redeemed, while the Swedes’ new EP adds yet another dimension to their already multifaceted music. Containing just two songs and clocking in at five seconds shy of sixteen minutes, “Å” is packed with emotion. It is an intense rollercoaster that hits hard from every possible angle.
First of all, the cover artwork signals a clear change in perspective. Going from “The Star” to “Å”, WORMWOOD have shifted their gaze from the night sky and brought it back down to Earth. In fact, “Å” features an emotionally charged photograph, a still from the music video, that captures a moment of confusion, pain, disappointment and everything in between, much like the lyrics of “Yra | Extas”. The title of the EP opener feels like the perfect caption for that image, and the music follows the same emotional contrast with remarkable precision. The song explodes with Black Metal blast-beats and Nine’s grunts, delivering plenty of headbanging delight right out of the gate. This initial delirium soon gives way to a groovier passage that welcomes a deeply melancholic guitar melody. Subtle keyboards intensify the overwhelming sadness before the music is hurled back into blasting territory. This constant push and pull feels like the sonic manifestation of the song’s two-part title.
Still, “Yra | Extas” has much more to reveal. As the pace slows, more room opens up for the ‘70s-flavored keyboards and prominent basslines, while the music continues to drag your mind through one steep emotional turn after another. Digging deeper, there are even traces of Pagan Metal in the guitars, beautifully coexisting with the melodies before everything builds toward a powerful conclusion where the riffs take the lead. After watching the music video, though, I almost wish WORMWOOD had incorporated the woman’s cries of desperation into the actual song. That moment is the very definition of shivers running down your spine.
The EP’s subtitle, “Contemporary Decays Of Stockholm In Two Parts”, creates an immediate connection between the lyrics of its two songs. Perhaps “Purposeless Geometry” refers to the beauty and symmetry of Stockholm’s architecture when observed from high above. Look closer, however, and all the ugliness of reality begins to emerge, whether hidden behind those beautiful facades or sitting there in plain sight, shaped by the pain human beings are capable of inflicting upon one another.
The song opens with a twisted children’s tune, while Hammond-sounding keyboards create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. From there, the focus settles on a mid-tempo groove driven by an organic-sounding snare and Nine’s grunt-like vocals. I particularly love the melodic, almost ‘70s Progressive Rock passage in the middle. The keyboards lay the foundation for a blues-tinged solo that briefly sends my thoughts drifting toward AYREON, before the growls return to restore the Swedish Metal balance in a wonderfully DARK TRANQUILLITY-like fashion.
“Å” has whetted my appetite to the point where I am now genuinely excited to work my way backwards through the WORMWOOD discography, while keeping an eye out for their next full-length. In the meantime, this two-song EP has completely captured my listening attention and does not seem willing to let go. Not that I would want it to...
10/10
Links:
Wormwood-Official.Com
www.FaceBook.Com/WormwoodSWE
Tracklist:
01. Yra | Extas
02. Purposeless Geometry
Lineup:
T.Rydsheim - Guitars
J.Engström - Guitars
Nine - Vocals
Oscar Tornborg - Bass
Simon Samuelsson - Drums