Over the past decade, Wayfarer have been exploring their fascination with the romanticized version of the old American West with their signature blend of black metal. From the thundering heft of World’s Blood to the Ennio Morricone-inspired A Romance With Violence, each album has taken slightly different angles to celebrate one of the most unique periods in modern history, a history that has inspired thousands of films and TV shows. On American Gothic, the austerity of this harsher period of history is brought to bear in some new ways on the band’s fifth studio album, so let’s get into this thing.
Given that Wayfarer are aiming for a very specific aesthetic with their music, there are sounds that you expect to hear: sliding resonator guitars, that signature Western guitar twang, drumming that’s a proxy for a horse’s canter, and more. There’s no doubt that these elements are somewhat important to make the very idea of Wayfarer work, but beyond these sonic ornaments, there is far more to enjoy. The balance of these aspects with the metal that serves as its backbone is key to setting this record apart and without a doubt this band has spent lots of time fine tuning just how this should be carried out. “The Cattle Thief” begins with this lilting riff that somehow sounds fits perfectly into black metal and an old cowboy ballad at the same time and when the vocals hit on top of this riff and the blasting double bass drums, it really sets in just how perfectly these two identities have been melded. This song is a wonderful thesis that spans over nine minutes and is a wonderful display of just how great this band, idea, and execution are.
While perhaps once upon a time our culture looked back on the Old West as this romantic ideal, we have very obviously adjusted the viewpoint to recognize just how heinous it was and how irredeemable the actions of many were and just how often the bad guys actually won. American Gothic doesn’t shy away from this at all. “False Constellation” is a track that summarizes this sentiment thematically and lyrically:
‘A beaten tattered flag / Raised in honor of a dream
A memory / Of what had never came to pass
You’ve got a shadow on your grave / A false constellation that you’ve made
The bells of time ring out for your name / You’ve got a shadow on your grave
A grave, a nation. / A shadow.’
These notions pervade the album and while this sentiment is far from novel – people have been deconstructing the Western mythos for decades – it’s still worth mentioning. Hell, the opening track is titled “The Thousand Tombs of Western Promise”, this record is all about denouncing and lamenting the promise of the American dream in the context of expansion toward the Pacific. What’s important though is just how cool all of this sounds when delivered by Wayfarer.
“To Enter My House Justified” is one the most bangin’ song titles of the year but thankfully this track lives up to that. The sliding guitars, the heavy growls which contrast against the melodic vocals which are couched in layers of dust, honor, hatred, and galloping drums. This could be my song of the year. Every part of it just clicks. Each riff is punctuated by the rhythm section and on every single repetition of these riffs it just hits and hits HARD. “Black Plumes Over God’s Country” is another nail in the coffin of the dream that was the American West with its biting lyrics and even the juxtaposition of the title drives home the idea that there is in fact trouble in paradise. This album is far more Cormac McCarthy than John Wayne and that’s for the best.
American Gothic is a genuinely complete album in every aspect. The scathing commentary, the riffs, atmosphere, varied vocal deliveries, song titles, and perfect instrumentation all combine to the definitive Western black metal album. While this time of year is filled with references to ‘albums of the year’ and all that, I sincerely believe that this record will stick with me well beyond 2023 and will be the first album I pull from my shelf if I wish to introduce anyone to this blending of ideas. Way to go Wayfarer. Now I’m going to loop “To Enter My House Justified” for the rest of the day.
