Dutch Doodswens (translated ‘death wish’) proves that black metal realm of negative energy is not a prerogative of only male musicians. Two ladies from Eidhoven, Inge van der Zon (drums) and Fraukje van Burg (vocals, guitars), clearly demonstrated on their full length debut Lichtvrees that they can be just as forcefully misanthropic as their male counterparts. Judging how harsh, blasting and unforgiving In Mijn Bloed is, you are allowed to think that Doodswens will largely go by way of the Nordic black metal genre originators. Clearly produced, but relentless, with a banshee vocals, In Mijn Bloed tapers off in intensity towards the end, yet stays antisocial, and shows one can project disliking mankind in many different ways.

Doodswens, however, are not single-note or one-dimensional. Zwarte Staar is much slower and detuned, giving off hints of sorrow in its cascading loopiness, and bursts out with more disdain towards the end. Eindzicht guitar notes also swell up and painfully resonate giving off electric shocks until the riffs start circling around as a bunch of vultures. Het Zwartewaterland and the title track return to hateful chaos, although the title track slips in some triumphant, jubilant notes. Lichtvrees (‘fear of light’) also appears to be a conceptual effort with demented interlude Onplaatsbaren and another similar outburst IJsheiligen providing connective tissue. I don’t understand a word of this (assuming Dutch or German lyrics here), but the whole effort breathes out derision and contempt, without resorting to total primitivity or lo-fi production.

Marduk picked Doodswens in a supporting slot on their upcoming tour of Europe, yet the Dutch aren’t just killing it with black bombastic power. Instead, Lichtvrees is a pretty interesting combination of classic black metal, Blut Aus Nord weirdness and Gnaw Your Tongues abrasive avantgardism. Just a touch more melodicism pushes songs like the title track or Zwarte Staar to the top of this heap, but the ladies are a lot more focused on exposing raw emotions, straddling the divide between urban grime and nature’s more desolate corners. Despite their clean and cinematic sound, prepare your aural senses for a significant amount of cleansing as Lichtvrees II caws away.