Most of the time bands really try their best not to wear their influences on their sleeve and if they can’t hide it, they instead deny it with a vengeance in interviews. Thulcandra is not one of those bands. Their love and admiration for melodic 90’s black/death metal and for Dissection in particuar was openly declared from the start and they have not strayed from that formula for a second. No shame in that.
On this, their 4th album and first release in six years, they stride forth along the path once carved out on legendary albums like “Storm Of The Light’s Bane” (Dissection) and “Slaughtersun” (Dawn). Even if the core sound is absolutely ferocious in all its blackened glory, it always leans towards beautiful melodies to carry the tunes forward. The meticulously crafted concoction of pure aggression and powerful melodies is at times absolutely breathtaking and you really can feel that the Nödtveidtian spirit is always there.
Just to be clear here, this band and album is no cheap ass tribute-to-the-past carnival act. Steffen Kummerer is a masterful songwriter and musician, something he has proven with both Thulcandra and Obscura over the years, and “A Dying Wish” could easily take on any album from the past and give it a run for its money. This is pure quality stuff and the past is indeed alive!
Review by Stefan Lejon