Metalcatto
We have some usual suspects at MER, and one of them is Steve Wiener, who is also behind Am I in Trouble? That was a classic Post-Black project, but can this working-class Black Metal endeavor reach the same quality level? It’s not our first run into Eveale either, but we hadn’t properly checked Enter the Woodland Realm until now. So one can hope to find a few surprises, right? Yes, I’m feeling optimistic today. If you have a problem with that, we can always throw down outside.
If you’re worried that this small project is going to sell out somehow, fear not. Though not recorded with a literal potato, Woodland is still raw and smelly in all the right ways. It has that humid basement vibe, the kind that makes you feel like you’re standing in a moldy rehearsal space, but also a deep call from the dark woods that pulls you outward. You’ve been here before, I’m sure, but maybe not with the same sensitivities. It’s as savage as it is embracing. An album that tells you, “it’s okay that you’re miserable today, this will pass… eventually.”
It’s difficult not to see Eveale as another author’s piece, if that makes sense. Let me explain. Am I in Trouble?, Ashenheart, and Eveale all share a signature Post-Melodic Death style that seems to focus on different aspects of the same musical language. This is the most Black Metal version of that style. As in, it sounds Norwegian in spirit—frostbitten and atmospheric—but all the actual writing feels modern and relatively polished for the genre. This isn’t edgy, orthodox Black Metal trying to prove a point, and I don’t mind it at all. Sometimes you want the atmosphere without the baggage.
They look like they played in different bands!
So now for the part where I throw low blows. Well, Woodland is kind of what you’d expect from a nature-inspired Black Metal release. It does have a few tweaks here and there that separate it from the pack, but overall it plays it safe within the subgenre’s established boundaries. You might not be super surprised by anything happening on this record. Even if the writing is solid—and it is—it took me more than one run to make it click. The pieces are all there, but they take time to assemble into a coherent picture.
Eveale deserves some attention. The project has a lot of potential that’s still unfolding. It might be less audacious than its related bands, but that doesn’t mean it can’t offer something for those who want unpolished Black Metal with a bit more color and warmth in the production. Aren’t you tired of the monochromatic vibe some bands cling to like a safety blanket? If you’re colorblind, I’m sorry, this review just got awkward. For the rest of you, Enter the Woodland Realm is worth a visit, even if you don’t decide to stay.
Label: Hypaethral Records
Release date: May 1, 2026
Website: https://ampwall.com/a/eveale
Country: USA
Score: 3.5/5.0
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