CoC : Wynjara - Wynjara : Review

Wynjara - _Wynjara_
(Nocturnal Art Productions, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (7 out of 10)

An American death metal band with an Australian Aboriginal word for a name releasing an album through Norway's Nocturnal Art Productions? Well, NAP releasing a death metal album is hardly something I'm used to in the first place, and I was quite curious to find out what was so special about Wynjara that turned them into a seemingly exceptional case for the Norwegian label. If not the doom/death-like Scorpions cover included in this disc, then what? Most likely it was the fact that Wynjara tend to sound somewhat different from most other bands in the genre. They use a drum machine competently enough to make sure it doesn't become a problem and have a relatively unusual guitar style on top of that; furthermore, there is plenty of variation throughout the record in terms of both style and tempo. Occasional instrumental tracks and passages (including some rather subdued and acoustic ones) add more variety and length to the record: some sound like they're adding some of the former, others just more of the latter. Overall, there seems to be a bit too much mid-paced chugging riffage going on for this 53 minute long album's own good, but with the variety and technicality on offer here, Wynjara's self-titled release should be well worth a try for death metal addicts.

(article published 10/1/2001)