Review | Rise Of The Wood – Discharge

Independent Release

With a band name like Rise of The Wood you expect earthy grooves and riff-driven heaviness. With `Discharge’, this Dutch formation not only lives up to those expectations but exceeds them. The new line-up proves to be a rock-solid unit, confidently discharging energy across the album in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly daring. Build heavily on groove, the songs swing with intensity and swagger, pushing the sonic scope.

From the moment the mammoth-like intro lumbers forward, the band sets the tone: heavy, deliberate, and drenched in anticipation. It slides fluently into ,,Eyes Wide Shut”, where guitars grind and drums hammer with relentless intent. Jeff Teunissen and Ronald Boonstra intertwine riffs and hooks that breathe raw intensity, while Eric Stolze (drums) and Dennis Davidse (bass) keep the groove dense and propulsive. On top, new vocalist Leo Gstrein proves the missing puzzle piece, his voice alternating between soaring lines, snarling phrases, and emotive growls that immediately command attention.

A HYBRID LOVECHILD

The album works like a journey across moods and landscapes. ,,Skin” rips forward with a memorable bridge-chorus dynamic that instantly sticks, while ,,Dead Man Walking” slows down into a tastefully orchestrated piece that balances withering vocals and rousing outcries. Underground contrasts cleanly sung momentum with explosive turmoil, its triplet melodies pulling the listener into turbulent motion. The band often feels like a hybrid lovechild of Queens of the Stone Age and Alice in Chains, with Mastodon providing the thick layers of gloom as a caressing godfather of darkness. There’s enough to challenge the listener, while maintaining focus on melody and outcome.

In ,,Sleep” the band steps back, layering emotion and agony with and escalating vocal intensity. It is proof of the band’s knack for multi-textured dynamics. The momentum builds on the guitar hook and its accompanying drum break, excellent and it impacts powerfully. Nice touch!

ABOUT THE STYLE

There’s playful technical edge present when ,,Electricity” flickers to life with a radio-dial intro before exploding into layered riffage and commanding vocals. ,,Cry of the Wolf” erupts from its own repetitive title call rousing, firing riffs on all cylinders, the rhythm section changing gears with muscular drum patterns and droning bass. With ,,About the Rain”, the band channels a dark, Alice in Chains-styled crawl, bass licks creeping under the vocals before the guitars break the surface. The dynamics are intense, growling thick and muddy.

When the anger rises, ,,Piss on My Grave” spews venom with buzz-saw guitars firing and harmonized vocals towering over the riff melee. The melodies are casted in iron, with heavy sludge being hammered away. ,,Rise Above” picks up speed again with turbulent drumming and Townsend-like guitar propulsion (arms up!), vocals soaring with harmonies that glue it together. Again, a track that leaves no room for error, and deploys intensity atop the tight musical interplay of the band. ,,Hold On to Your Fears” closes with Motörhead grit, and a memorable lick, and groove metal swagger, a track made for the pit without ever resorting to thrash clichés. It bounces with grooving swagger, blending Biohazard swing with Stone Temple Pilots’ deep emotive accolades.

RISE OF THE WOOD – THE CONCLUSION

The strength of `Discharge’ lies not only in its song writing, but in its balance. The production is clean and organic, every instrument audible and dynamic without unnecessary gimmicks. Vocals sit dominantly in the mix, sometimes perhaps too dry, but the unpolished honesty suits the band’s energy. The artwork, with its black-and-white mammoth carrying a third eye, captures the duality of Rise of the Wood perfectly: dark cartoonish and striking, slow and droning, yet also thought-provoking and layered.

Rise of the Wood have taken a bold step forward with `Discharge’. The band embraces its groove-laden, riff-driven DNA, but isn’t afraid to inject emotion, melody, and experimentation. With this new line-up firing on all cylinders, the Dutch heavy rock scene has gained an album that stands tall. `Discharge’ discharges confident, infectious, and ready to echo through venues once the first notes discharge from the stage. A live blast ensured!

Release date: 21 August 2025

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