White Ward is a progressive black metal quintet from Odessa, Ukraine. Back in 2012 they originally assembled as a raw and depressive black metal unit, though shortly thereafter, they embarked on a journey to shed the confines of these well-established genres and forge a novel tone. This endeavor culminated in their debut LP, Futility Report, which dropped in May of 2017. An intoxicating blend of blackened hardcore, triumphant post-metal expanses, electronic textures, and ambient soundscapes, all enshrouded by a velvety billow of saxophone, made for a cinematic trek beneath noir shadows of diseased skyscrapers.

Now, a little over two years later, White Ward are back with their second full-length effort, Love Exchange Failure. In it, they continue to promulgate the cinematic qualities etched throughout Futility Report, though this time around they flavor some of their compositions with the hubbub of metropolitan life. Ambulance sirens wail and ricochet off of asphalt architecture from innumerable blocks away. Streams of vapor trickle upward from manhole covers as vehicles sputter by. The diurnal monotony continues to churn and with each passing day, the city corrodes. Love Exchange Failure brings city sprawl to life. Be it post-metal glints that fill our eyes with wonder, throat flaying rasps, or the gentle caress of saxophone, the quintet broaches uncanny depths of city life through their aural explorations. There’s much to dissect in this episode and we sincerely hope you enjoy it. Thank you for listening.