Wrust playing in South Africa in 2013 (Photo Credit: SueDiduknow)
For someone who has dedicated the last two articles to the metal scene in Botswana, haven’t profiled any bands yet, have I? No worries! Only half as neglectful as I seem, here I am extolling the ominous, aggressive pleasure of three bands, the names of all coincidentally ending in “ust”. Huh. Though not featured, a genuine honorable mention to Skinflint; we love a black girl metal drummer.
Wrust
Formed in 2000 in Gabarone, Wrust’s brand of death metal dips hard into groove metal, gaining comparisons to the classic band Sepultra. Members Stux Daemon, Dem Lawd Master, Oppy Gae, and Benson Phaks released their most recent album, Intellectual Metamorphosis, in 2013. Their music has been both influenced by and compared to many classic death metal bands, such as one of the early and formative bands of the genre, Obituary, as well as Carcass (with whom they have shared a stage), and Pantera, a classic groove metal band that has come under much fire for their use of confederate flags, and Phil Anselmo’s repeated “joke” declarations of white power.
Despite largely American influence, their song Day of the Sacrifice has more traditional Tswana singing and drums in the introduction that seamlessly layers with the growing grooves and riffs of the metal soon to come, a welcomed change from the usual metal intros: of random screaming, sampled audio that sounds out of a haunted house, or worse, clean vocals.
While definitely having its melodeath moments that really let me enjoy and get into the metal mood, Intellectual Metamorphosis somehow feels less sinister than a lot of metal despite the lyrical content. Hate ’em All is almost anthemic death metal, something you could headbang or dance to.
Spiral of Torture and Hate ’em All seem to succinctly sum up the albums themes surrounding systems (of) control and oppression, evoking ideas of a brutal government/world/society with claws around one’s neck.
Recommended song: Hate ’em All