The much-anticipated fifth studio album from Cold in Berlin Wounds has debuted under New Heavy Sounds. Recorded at Foel Studio on amps borrowed from My Bloody Valentine, everything came together in the mystical Welsh countryside. Bow Church, an influential figure in the dark electronic scene and a longtime collaborator of the band, arranged synths for the release.
After their release of ‘Hangman’s Daughter’ earlier this year – a track described as a “haunting lament of unrequited love gone wrong” – fans have been excited about the end of the band’s six year silence.
“Wounds is a series of songs about the different ways people live with and process ‘the wounds’ of their lives,” explains vocalist Maya Berlin. “A strange celebration of that formative pain we have all experienced in some way. The loss and joy of survival – the celebration of finding others like us, the gift of knowing life comes after fire.”
The unearthly album features a mix of post-punk, gothic, synth, doom, and krautrock. Maya’s echoing vocals come together in a way that freezes the blood in your veins. When the vocals are isolated they create an all-encompassing feeling. The synths introduce an interesting industrial edge. Adam Berlin, guitarist for the band, brings in heavy and thrumming riffs that seem to glide across the tracks. Alex Howson provides chilling cymbal heavy drums that further the icy tone of the album. When the breakdowns come into play you can truly feel the power of the bass, which is played by Lawrence Wakefield.
’12 Crosses’ has a beautifully alluring vibe. With instrumentals that sound like a slow tango, and long drawn-out vocals that pull you closer into their spell. The chorus vocalizing in the background provides a creepy edge and a sense of something grander surrounding you. The free-jazz brass sections sound like standing on the sidelines of a standoff. It’s a dangerous and romantic sensation.
The marching tempo of ‘Messiah Crawling’ presses like a weight upon you. The tempo has slowed from the previous song and is driven by the way every note sung and played seems to trail off. Maya pulls out some creaking vocals, like something coming from the grave.
The focus on Maya’s vocals in ‘They Reign’ allows us to fully appreciate the soulful and almost blues-y style of her singing. Backed by drums and foreboding synth, it’s elegant in its simplicity.
‘The Stranger’ has an explosive opening. This track feels like the brightest part of the album with multiple crescendos that crash into you like waves. It has the energy of a momentous ballad with every band member turning their skill up to 11.
‘We Fall’ has a keen sense of longing. It’s laced with infatuation and adoration; a love song wrapped in black silk and dripping poison. The guitar is the most part of the instruments from the dramatic opening to its consistent driving energy. It matches every inflection of the vocals giving them even more weight, only giving up the spotlight for a drum solo.
‘The Body’ gives horrifying allusions in the lyrics as Maya offers to tell you about the body in all it’s misery and glory. Listener beware, because she also notes “There is nothing left when I am done.” This song holds the most intense breakdown of the album taking the initial riffs of the song and slowing them into this deep and fearsome display.
I love that ‘I Will Wait’ focuses deeply on the bass. Its resonance offers a sultry element and an intensely dark feel. It caresses the guitar tones in a flirty dance. The switch up near the end where everything jumps to crashing highs is fun and a little chaotic. Again drawing from tempos that have that romantic Spanish inspiration, it’s hands-down my favorite song.
The album end on ‘Wicked Wounds’, which has spoken word vocals throughout. The instruments lurk in the background offering a doomgaze sound, an eerieness compounded by the echoing background vocals. Then, the entire song fades of into the darkness on a single, quavering, riff.
When creating Wounds, Cold in Berlin aimed to recreate the sensation of their thrilling live performances. The way each song surrounds you and the stunning clarity of their recording does feel like experiencing a private concert. The entire experience is captivating, from the isolated vocals to the crisp instrumentals. Wounds is a darkly fascinating album that enchants you until the end.
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