#AlbumReview: Doodswens – Doodswens

Band: Doodswens
Album: Doodswens
Label: Svart Records
Release Date: April 17th 2026
Country: The Netherlands
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

#AlbumReview: Doodswens – Doodswens via Svart Records by Ioana

Doodswens is one of those bands that I’ve been familiar with for quite a while, but always ended up flying under my radar. Previous listening experiemces, as shamefully lacking in focus on my behalf as they were, as well as what I have gathered on their live performances left them in a place in my mind where I had a great deal of respect for them, but at the same time, never managed to appreciate them proportionally. That, however, changed with their second, self-titled full length album, the topic of today’s review. Having been keeping up to date with the band’s progress updates on the album, I found myself harbouring a considerable degree of anticipation. However, the real shift took place when I actually got the chance to actually listen to it, obviously. Needless to say, I was very much impressed. Seems I once again managed to enter a tunnell of great listens…

“Doodswens” is built on traditional black metal themes, primarily death and devil worship, but, let’s be honest, one can never truly have enough of that. At least in my case, that is very much the truth. These themes have been central to Doodswens ever since the band’s inception, however, what this record brings along, in my opinion at least, is the chrystalising of the band’s approach, as well as a refinement of their musical skills and philosophy. This all, of course, points towards a promising future for the band in every way. But enough with the introductions:

Musically, “Doodswens” is undoubtedly atmosphere driven, as made obvious both by the songwriting, production, as well as the use of various samples which are sprinkled all throughout the record. The production emphasizes the guitar work above all, and the full, bass-heavy sound of the drums, accentuates them in such a way that the soundscape naturally gains a specific kind of organic depth, thus allowing the music to develop its own flow. The result is a listening experience which is moody enough to draw you in fully, as well as dynamic and “punchy” enough to satisfy those leaning towards the more violent forms of the genre. Speaking of the drumming, there are quite a few moments on the album where it reminded me of the work of Darvaza, albeit with more tempo variation. The style which I am referencing is mainly centered around consistent mid tempo/slowed down blast beat passages, which, when used skillfully, add an almost rock ‘n’ roll-ish quality to the music. Tracks such as “Verrot” serve as a great example of this, and I think that such a track would work really well in a live context as a result.

All that being said, the crowning jewel of this album is represented by its slow, atmospheric moments, as exemplified on my favourite song on the record, “The Black Flame”. Were I to recommend Doodswens to anyone by using one track, this would be it. The drums feel less like “drums” per se and more like a pulse upon which the rest of the music flows. The guitar work is comprised mainly out of moody, repetitive riffs, but which grow more and more hypnotic as the song progresses. This results in a track which feels both expansive and suffocating. It is also not cold-sounding by any means, quite the opposite. There is something… fiery to it, almost. However, what truly made it click for me is the vocal performance by drummer/frontwoman Inge van der Zon. Her voice is undoubtedly unique, my best description of it would be that of a low/mid register shrill, which is a bit of a paradox, but nevertheless, it is the kind of vocal performance that draws you in from the start. Her phrasing is slow and expressive, allowing the listener to truly feel the impact of every line. And even though it is not placed at the focal point of the mix, the power of it is still audible. What can I say, it’s my kind of vocal work by all means.

I kept bringing up the guitar work throughout this review but never actually went on to describe it properly, so, I guess now is the time for that. As I mentioned, it is the focal point of the album, and it is centered around riffs characterized both by complexity and repetitive-ness, but not to the point where it dulls down the edges of the album. I would argue that it is this blend of qualities which gives the album both its flow and its teeth, and tracks such as “Devil’s Stone” do a great job showcasing this. However, I am aware tbat my description in this case fails to capture the true essence of the music, so I highly advise everyone reading this to go out and see, or, better said, hear for themselves.

All that being said, I had a great time with this album, and it is definitely growing on me the more I listen to it. For any self-respecting black metal fan, this is for you. 9.5/10

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9.5/10  Epic Storm
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