WYRMWOODS

Wyrmwoods biography
Founded in 2014, Wyrmwoods is a one-man experimental black metal project from Oulu, Finland, helmed by multi-instrumentalist Marko Översti (aka Nuurag-Vaarn). Översti, whose other projects include jazzy doom metal band Starboard and the synthwave-based Space Shuttle Sex Murders, demonstrates his eclectic taste in Wyrmwoods, combining progressive rock, doom metal, ambient and jazz into an adventurous mix which has earned him comparisons to Oranssi Pazuzu, Sigh, Thy Catafalque, Graal, Ihsahn, Anubi and Progenie Terrestre Pura.

Wyrmwoods digitally released their eponymous EP in 2014 through Bandcamp, a self-described homage to early Ulver and Burzum, more a proof of concept than his later work, which took a leap in compositional quality and complexity with the 2017 debut LP Earth Made Flesh. Lyrically inspired by Norse paganism and the work of American writer Thomas Ligotti, Earth Made Flesh displayed Wyrmwoods' now-signature style of aggressive and avant-garde black metal influenced by Murmuüre, Mayhem, Summoning, Drudkh, Paysage d'Hiver, Darkspace and even Steve Roach. The album attracted the interest of Finnish label Inverse Records, working with Översti as he developed his sound across a split and three more albums: 2019's Spirit & Teeth, 2020's Gamma and 2022's No Sun Nor Moon.


- Gordy, May 2023