Centred around the brutal reality of war, The 38th Division explores conflict, destruction, and the human cost left in its wake. Through sheer aggression, the album reflects on the chaos and devastation that war imprints upon the world. Prepare for the march. That’s some heavy introduction, that’s from the Welsh Black Metalists who have nailed their colours to the mast and sing in their native tongue, which is quite refreshing (if you can decipher what it is they’re singing about in the first place because after all, this is bleak black metal at its rawest, most visceral best.

Iselder is the vision of Gofid, who has recruited a band for live shows and got an instrumentalist who goes by the name Neidr. ‘The 38th Division’ is the “bands” third offering, with some jarring tunes in their arsenal. This is potentially a minefield for the gatekeepers of what tasteful and what not in the world of Black or extreme metal, but I’m sure Gofid helps nans across the road and will put the bins out for the frail neighbour at 667 hellish avenue. I might come as no surprise to longstanding readers that I might have left-wing leanings and favour devolution and Independence for Cymru, so of course I have an interest in what Iselder write about and a willingness to help them reach a wider audience with their music, regardless of how fringe and extreme it is. However, this doesn’t give Gofid a free pass this record has to sound good.

The album gets underway with a thunderous chaotic battlecry of ‘The Death Of Wales’ where all the Black Metal tub thumping habits are present and accounted for, as is the demonic blackened riffage and those hellish vocals gargling razorblades over the heaviest of riffage. Bealzibub would approve.

Hold on, kids, the thrashiest bit of Black Metal is up next as ‘Bayonet’ pokes its filthy nose in on proceedings. We’re only three songs in, and I’m exhausted ‘Call To Arms’ is killing it, and I wouldn’t mind if I was standing on a battlefield and this was playing, I’d pile through a brick wall to achieve my goal. ‘Impending War’ sounds like a Gatling gun firing off as body parts fly into the acrid air on the battlefield. This is pulverising and Iselder are nailing it. By the time ‘Glory’ rings out with touches of the mighty Manowar on the extended outro battlecry and sing-a-long, it might have dropped in tempo on the intro, but once the guitar gets rinsed, we’re off into battle again. There isn’t any respite here, and there isn’t a mountain of variety on offer. It’s dark and brutal, but it’s superbly executed, and the twists and turns offer variety, and in a very crowded genre, Iselder have carved a niche for themselves and are killing it on their third album.

If you want a history lesson on Welsh leaders, this isn’t the place, but an Iselder record will certainly point you in the right direction. The last and true Prince of Wales is the subject of ‘Llewellyn The Last’ as it walks a sinister path. The penultimate offering is ‘Trench Warfare’ with its Kerry King-like heaviness on the intro, it staggers through the verse labouring under the heaviness of its riff.

The album signs off with the bombastic ‘Embrace The End’ after the Sabbath doom-laden intro its heads down and thrash like fuck, sounding like a well-produced Hellhammer. This is my favourite track on the album, and it stands head and shoulders over the previous seven. Someone, pour Govid a glass of hot honey and lemon, please, he deserves it.

‘The 38th Division’ is the album Isleder has been threatening, and should see them go into battle for the top of the class in black metal. Darkthrone, Mayhem, et al move over, the Welsh are coming, and they have the artillery and tunes to deliver a knockout blow. If extreme metal is your bag, then this is all killer and certainly no filler. Jesus wept, there isn’t any time for filler for fucks sake these guys have no brakes now turn it up and lay down your soul to the Gods rock and roll!

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Author: Dom Daley