Gaahls Wyrd Braiding the Stories CD Review

I am familiar with Gaahl’s work with Gorgoroth but was unaware of this project until it showed up in my inbox. I suppose that can be excused because even though Gaahls Wyrd has been around since 2015, ‘Braiding the Stories’ is only the second full-length studio release after the 2019 effort, ‘Gastir - Ghosts Invited’. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this album. Was it going to be more Gorgoroth/God Seed? I was of the mindset that it would be more pummeling black metal, but I was wrong. Kind of.

What’s interesting here is that there are some really beautiful and calm pieces and then there are others that fall into the abyss between doom, black and atmospheric metal. The opening track “The Dream” is…dare I say…calming? There is some spoken word and light singing from Gaahl, but this is something I could fall asleep to. “Voices in My Head” is similar in style and tone but starts to sound more ominous as the song ends which then leads into the album’s heaviest track “Time and Timeless Timeline”, which is what I primarily expected this album to sound like. It starts off with some death metal riffs and as the song progresses, the tempo slows and embraces doom elements. “Root the Will” is probably the closest in matching this sound and intensity, so if you’re here looking to be bludgeoned over the head, these two tracks are your closest opportunities at that.

The guitar intro to “And the Now” reminds me of “Everlong” by the Foo Fighters. It keeps up the trend of using atmosphere that takes you by the hand and by the end of the song, you’re not sure where you were or where you are. That is one thing that I give the album lots of credit for. The atmosphere and uncertainty of where you’ll end up on any given song makes for a unique listening experience. The album overall feels somewhat experimental with its constantly changing atmosphere. Fans of Gaahl will appreciate and enjoy ‘Braiding the Stories’ as there is something here for everyone.

~TJ