Chelsea Wolfe – Hiss Spun

The enigmatic Chelsea Wolfe has been patiently mastering her craft for some time now. Hiss Spun, her sixth long player, is nothing but proof of that. There is no one really like Wolfe – True Widow are the only act to come close – crossing goth-inspired singer-songwriting folk with gloom metal.

This time around Wolfe’s usual producer and partner in crime, Ben Chisholm, has stepped aside from the desk (but remains in the band) in favour of Converge’s Kurt Ballou, one of the most instantly recognisable producers in the metal game. Ballou’s signature crushing heaviness may have become a cliché in some circles, but paired with Wolfe’s beautiful voice and brilliant writing, it's a match made in heaven.

Opener Spun's stop-start riff practically sounds like a Converge track, while single 16 Psyche is a tremendous example of the sheer power at play from Wolfe’s voice and playing, backed up by Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen. Vex slithers around before Aaron Turner's (Isis / Old Man Gloom) terrific roar strikes when you least suspect it. Later, Offering shows a bit of Trent Reznor’s influence, while Two Spirit return’s to Wolfe’s earlier folk roots. Hopefully, this is the album that transcends Wolfe into superstardom.

Listen to: Spun, 16 Psyche, Vex