Duffhues - It Has No Face [Zwarte Vleugels]

Scheduled for release via the Belgium-based Zwarte Vleugels label on October 24th, 2k25 is "It Has No Face", the latest album conceived by Duffhues who first appeared on the scene with a self-released cassette tape roughly 30 years ago and has continuously shaped his approach over decades, coming at things from an angle at which he doesn't refer to himself as a musician but rather more of an author, observer and, probably..., a vessel for inherent darkness present in the world today. Once again approaching things form a mono angle sonically Duffhues caters a menu of eleven songs over the short course of 29 minutes, backing raw, grungy and Blues-infused guitars with what seems to be a steady pulse of electronic or rather electronically enhanced bassdrums and a rather unconventional take on storytelling and songwriting which seems rather influenced by observational conversations than by the rule book of traditional songwriting both in arrangement and lyrical structures with spontaneous eruptions of detuned x off-kilter feedbacks in the title track that is "It Has No Face" whilst the subsequent "Smart" is almost seductive due to its simple, cut back and hypnotic main motif before the swirling, brooding bass guitars of "Demon Witch" are fully living up to the songs title, the "Warmonger" bringing on serious heat for dimly lit underground dancefloors whereas the undeniable groove of "Cat In The Box" draws heavy inspiration from dirty Delta Blues and similar sub-genres which makes this specific song one of our personal favorites on the album. This is good stuff. Go check!