Wazarra Unleash New Album 'Arbor'

Wazzara don't exactly do subtlety, but on Arbor they understand that loud and atmospheric are not mutually exclusive. The Swiss band's first full-length in five years throws atmospheric black metal, doom and blackgaze into the same cauldron and comes away with something surprisingly cohesive. It is heavy, certainly, but never content to simply bludgeon.

The best moments arrive when the band let contrasting textures rub against each other. Guitars can sound simultaneously beautiful and hostile, while Andrei Jumuga's drums push the material forward with considerable force. “9 Confines” sets the tone, but the album becomes increasingly interesting as it moves through “Indigo Sleep,” “Dandelion” and “Nova,” where Wazzara demonstrate that atmosphere can be as powerful as distortion.

Barbara Brawand's vocals are another important part of the equation. Rather than functioning merely as another aggressive element, they add an emotional centre to music that could otherwise disappear into its own density. The result is something dramatic without becoming melodramatic, and expansive without losing its physical impact.

Then comes “zessa (reborn),” a smart reworking of the song from 2019's zessa. Having been reshaped through years on stage, it feels less like a reissue than a conversation with Wazzara's younger self. Arbor is full of those kinds of connections. Dark, muscular and occasionally gorgeous, it proves that five years away have done little to diminish Wazzara's appetite for extremes.