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Hadewych

Hadewych – Mes (2022)

I had seen announcements for this release, but I somehow thought that it was a rerelease. Good that Spotify surprised me with an excellent track so that I was in time to get me one of the cassettes.

Hadewych is somewhat like O Saala Sakraal, but darker, or perhaps I should say ‘more metal’. There is still the ritual darkness, Dutch lyrics, but more guitar. In the first track at least, the other two are more ambient or even soundscapish.

Just as on the latest O Saala Sakraal, Michael Idehall contributed to “Mes” and there are some other contributors as well.

“Mes” is a three track, 34 minute tape release that comes in a nice little box with a silver print. Also it was my (re)acquaintance with the Dutch Tartarus label that has more doomy music available.

Links: Hadewych, Tartarus Records

Hadewych – Welving (cd 2018)

You can leave the making of weird music to Peter Johan Nijland. Nijland is probably better known for his project Distel, but he has other projects too and Hadewych is not a new project either. I know Hadewych’s previous full-length (untitled) in the 2009 rerelease, but judging Discogs I missed a range of smaller releases.

Hadewych found its way to Malignant Records which will certainly improve the spread of the release. “Welving” is an odd release on Malignant though. Just as on the debut, the music has quite a lot of guitar. Sometimes the music reaches towards (industrial) metal, most of the time it is dark and ‘droney’ though (with or without guitars), sometimes slightly ritualistic. The combination of guitars and dark electronics brings memories of bands such as Necro Deathmort or The Body. The mix between dark and ‘sweeter’ sounds made me think of Dream Into Dust as well. It is not like Hadewych really sounds like these bands, but just to give you an idea of the odd sound.

“Welving”, just as on Distel releases, contains poetic lyrics, often in Dutch. The album is somewhat short, but contains good to exceptionally good tracks.

Indeed, recommended!

Links: Hadewych, Malignant Records

Hadewych * s/t (cd 2009)

HadewychWell well, the Dutch scene seems to be ever becoming more active and interesting. Without regards for scenes and tags people go from one style to another which makes it rather difficult to keep up with. So I also missed Hadewych’s very limited demos and the first version of this self-titled album. Two years after the initial release, there is a luxery rerelease on Tuchtunie (165 copies) soon to be followed by a ‘regular’ release limited to 300 copies. Hadewych makes very experimental dark music. Dark soundscapes made with electronics, guitars and voice combined with ‘IDM’-beats at times and samples. The first part of this 50 minutes album is a bit ‘drone rockish’, lateron the sound becomes more ‘soundscapish’. The result is something quite different and highly interesting and another promising project coming from my own country.
Links: Hadewych, Tuchtunie